Bradley Cooper was ’emotionally distant’ with Irina during ‘A Star Is Born’

Bradley Cooper and Lady Gaga at 'A Star Is Born' press conference photocall

When Bradley Cooper and Lady Gaga began promoting A Star Is Born late last summer, I remember doing the math on the preproduction and production of the film, and figuring out when Bradley just dove into the film. He directed ASIB and starred in it, of course, and most of the preproduction happened in Irina Shayk’s last trimester. Their daughter Lea was just a few weeks old, basically, when Bradley was away filming ASIB for months. And then the post production – editing, music, all of that. My point is that Bradley missed a lot of his daughter’s first months, and he probably wasn’t around to support Irina that much either. That would put a strain on anyone’s relationship. So, obvious story is obvious:

Bradley Cooper and Irina Shayk were unable to repair their relationship after drifting apart.

“Bradley was emotionally absent during the long time filming A Star Is Born,” an entertainment source tells PEOPLE. “They tried to save the relationship but it had changed.”

Although Cooper, 44, and Shayk, 33, were having troubles, not many people knew, as they’ve always kept their romance out of the spotlight.

“Since Bradley and Irina have always been very private about their relationship few knew there was really for sure something going on,” the source adds.

Cooper had a big year in 2018 with the release of A Star Is Born, which was nominated for eight Academy Awards and marked his directorial debut. While attending the BAFTA awards earlier this year, where Cooper accepted the award for best original music, the actor and director thanked Shayk, who also made the trip across the pond, for “putting up with me” throughout the years-long creative process.

“Most of all I have to thank Irina, for putting up with me for all the music I was trying to make in our basement for a year,” he said. “Thank you very much. Thank you.”

[From People]

I believe it. I think Bradley is just an emotionally absent guy in relationships anyway, but he also gets absorbed in work easily, and at the expense of his personal life. I think Irina stuck with it because she thought he would come back and be emotionally present once he was done filming. And then maybe she stuck with it because she didn’t want to dump him right before the awards season. But the feeling I’m getting is that she was probably unhappy for a while, and she got out.

Also: for those ASIB Gaga-Cooper shippers out there… I mean, what can I say? I still don’t believe there was anything between them. Just because he was emotionally absent during ASIB doesn’t mean he was emotionally “present” for Gaga personally or sexually at any point.

Bradley Cooper and Irina Shayk arrive at JFK airport in NYC

Photos courtesy of Backgrid.

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45 Responses to “Bradley Cooper was ’emotionally distant’ with Irina during ‘A Star Is Born’”

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  1. Grant says:

    Wow, his face looks scary AF in that first picture.

    • Wow says:

      Bradley Cooper always looks like 3 different men taking turns playing the character of Bradley Cooper to me.

    • snazzy says:

      total psycho -serial killer face. Dear lord

    • Tigerlily says:

      Looks like a Barry Manilow. I don’t get the hype over this guy or his fake “relationships”

    • Veronica S. says:

      I always feel like he has one of those faces where if certain features were moved just a few centimeters in spacing, he’d be way more attractive. He’s always slightly “off” facially to me. But that’s my totally shallow opinion on the matter lol.

    • minx says:

      Whatever “sexy” is, he’s the opposite of it IMO.

      • dj says:

        I’m with minx. BC has NEVER been sexy or attractive to me. He has always seemed like a weasley guy that I would never trust. Does he wear a wiglet in front? That top picture his hair looks weird colour and texture-wise. It also seems like she is gorgeous to me now…I don’t know if it is because I dislike him or if she is so gorgeous I never noticed her before. Oh well. I hope she dates someone else fabulous now.

  2. PlainJane says:

    I could be wrong, but it seems like publicists are trying to keep this relevant by rattling the cages of the Gaga-Cooper shippers. I don’t understand why they are still trying to make that happen.

    Bradley Cooper seems likes a guy who likes to keep his options open … at all times.

    • Meg says:

      Shallow went to #1 after their cozy Oscars performance, yes she won the Oscar as well but I think continuing to talk about their cozy performance worked

    • billypilgrim says:

      @plain Jane
      BINGO

      Bradley and Irina’s relationship purely a contract.

      • Melanie says:

        I don’t know why so many people are convinced that this was a contractual situation. He’s not exactly coming out of this looking great. He’s being portrayed as a workaholic who cares more about his work and himself than his family. Why would making him look bad be apart of any contract? I’m pretty sure he would never agree to that.

  3. Eliza says:

    I think he’s always been selfish. I think he urged her to stay through Oscars, I honestly think they were done well before. Plus she didn’t let him or get pregnancy slow her down and he likes his women to take a backseat which probably angered him. He supposedly turns cold on a dime. I’m glad she’s getting out.

  4. Mabs A'Mabbin says:

    I’m so shocked.

  5. GreenBunny says:

    I finally watched ASIB because it’s running on HBO and honestly I don’t get it. Probably just me, but I was bored watching it and by the end, I didn’t even care about them anymore. I did like the music and while Shallow really shows her vocal skills, I honestly really enjoyed BC’s song “Maybe it’s Time”, but I do prefer the more melancholy writing and sound when it comes to the music I love.

    • elimaeby says:

      MY SO and I watched it this weekend, too, and at the end we looked at each other and asked “did I miss something? I don’t get what we just watched.” It’s disappointing at best.

    • Originaltessa says:

      I fast forwarded through the last 40 minutes or so. Movie didn’t hold my attention. Saw where it was heading and just zipped through it. First bit semi interesting, but once she’s “made it” or whatever I was totally bored.

    • Audrey says:

      Completely agree. The movie is so overrated.

    • Lizzie says:

      watched it this weekend. lady gaga was not very good. i found her to be extremely conscious of the camera – sometimes unintentionally looking directly at it. the story is classic and this version didn’t really do anything to modernize it. it was resoundingly fine.

    • FHMom says:

      I didn’t care for it, either. Both BC and Gaga took me out of the story. I don’t understand all the love for it, although some of the music is okay.

    • Parigo says:

      Tried to watch it on the plane. Half an hour into it I turned it off and watched Crazy Rich Asians instead. At least that was entertaining.

    • holly hobby says:

      I found the movie ok. The storyline is a retread. However I do enjoy the soundtrack. It’s part of my rotation.

    • kosmos says:

      I LOVED the movie and saw it three times, and there aren’t a lot of films I really enjoy. Maybe it was the music combined with Gaga etc. About this article, I have to agree with Kaiser on the assessment. I think Bradley became completely focused on making his first film and he neglected his relationship. I think she could see the writing on the wall, that life might be like this forever with him. Yup, and I don’t blame her for jumping ship. Not sure, though, why they would have a child so soon, knowing his career could take him far and away, which it did. She needs someone who can come home to her and the child. I’m sure they had chemistry, but all that doesn’t matter when you end up being apart too long, too often. I think for Bradley, his career comes first.

  6. TheMummy says:

    I’d be willing to bet a good chunk of money (or maybe a toe I don’t need all that much for balance) that we see Bradley and Gaga roll out a relationship in six months time. You heard it here first. ::shrug:: I mean, who knows, but it wouldn’t surprise me at all. They wouldn’t do it before then (even if there is a relationship or a spark or whatever) just to separate that narrative from the Irina/Bradley narrative.

  7. Ashley says:

    Something is always off with him. He never seems to have chemistry with anyone he dates. Closeted? If so, can he just come out already? If not, what’s going on here? His first wife said awful things about their marriage.

  8. Lenn says:

    I have three options for his next girlfriend: Selena Gomez, Halle Berry and Sienna Miller

  9. Digital Unicorn says:

    I have never ever got his appeal ever. He has always screamed mega douche.

  10. AJ says:

    He is known as sort of a guy that doesn’t do relationships well. There has been talk in the past about this with his ex wife and a girlfriend. He comes across as narcissistic to me. But I think you have to be to be an actor right? When he was doing press in Philly for A Star is Born, the local press indicated that he was being sort of jerky during the whole process. And he is from here! I’m glad Irina’s publicist is doing their job and getting out ahead of this whole thing.

  11. hogtowngooner says:

    I’ve always gotten the sense that Bradley Cooper is the type of guy who thinks it’s OK to be distant while working on a project because he’s an ARTIST and you’re the jerk for not understanding his craft or whatever.

    100% they’ve been done since before the Oscars, but he persuaded her to put up appearances for the campaign.

    I will say that I’m glad I don’t know what their kid looks like. *cough* Affleck-Garner *cough*

  12. FredsMother says:

    This whole sitch beggars belief. Handsome actor, lots of money, great looks enters relationship with beautiful women, model who can come and go as she pleases,follow him anywhere in between gigs, she gets on with his mother and co-workers, caters to his whim. Lots of sexiness and togetherness pictured. They have a beautiful baby together and can’t make it work long enough for daughter to hit pre-school? Who they want to buy that this was a real thing? Now the PR spin… But in service of whose career, for what reason? The mini-van majority is that gullible?

  13. JanetFerber says:

    I think his very light blue eyes make him look like a psycho to some. I’m not feeling it, so that’s my guess. I know a lot of people have a negative opinion of him, but somehow I sense a very troubled and conflicted man. I could be totally off, but I do feel sorry for him.

  14. Deedee says:

    What’s even worse is how he acted to fall over Gaga like they had this deep bond while irina had to sit and watch that crap knowing full well how distant he was to her.

  15. Kay says:

    His face is so crooked and weird, I don’t understand why people find him attractive

  16. Oliviajoy1995 says:

    I never think of the normal looking Bradley Cooper as sexy. But I thought his Jackson Maine character was sexy as hell. Weird.

  17. malina says:

    mummy issues maybe? Perhaps he can’t mix sex with emotional availability. Seemed to have a strong bond with Gaga, but no attraction. I doubt he will go for her, unless he works that out and is willing to have a relationship with a woman as an equal. Having Irina was more about what a successful man he is all around, to have a bombshell like her by his side. Good for her to choose her happiness, this is where their ways part.