Bradley Cooper Reacts To  ‘American Sniper’ Criticism, Discusses Challenges Of His Role

Bradley Cooper took time to defend Clint Eastwood’s American Sniper during the film’s premiere in Washington D.C. Although Cooper himself does not call anyone out by name, he manages to make his stance quite admirably by making the film more about Chris Kyle, the man he portrays, rather than a statement about war.

Of course, this is not the subject of the movie’s criticism. Director and veteran filmmaker Michael Moore went as far as to call the film’s subject matter “cowards.”

My uncle killed by sniper in WW2. We were taught snipers were cowards. Will shoot u in the back. Snipers aren't heroes. And invaders r worse

— Michael Moore (@MMFlint) January 18, 2015

Likewise, actor Seth Rogan, compared the film to Nazi propaganda.

American Sniper kind of reminds me of the movie that's showing in the third act of Inglorious Basterds.

— Seth Rogen (@Sethrogen) January 18, 2015

Bradley Cooper himself commented on the criticism during an interview with The Daily Beast.

“My hope is that if someone is having a political conversation about whether we should or should not have been in Iraq, whether the war is worth fighting, whether we won, whether we didn’t, why are we still there, all those [issues], that really—I hope—is not one that they would use this movie as a tool for.”

Bradley added that “It’s not a political discussion about war, even…It’s a discussion about the reality. And the reality is that people are coming home, and we have to take care of them.”

“For me, and for Clint, this movie was always a character study about what the plight is for a soldier.”

Bradley Cooper said that the film has less to do with the politics of war, but as he states, focusing on the dichotomy of fighting a war and being a family man at the same time. For Bradley Cooper it was a truly life changing experience.

“Personally, you set goals for yourself always but this was a pretty tall order. I was nervous, I didn’t know if I was going to be able to do it.”

Cooper explained further.

“There were a lot of sleepless nights early on where I was really overwhelmed with the responsibility. Coming out the other side of that was a huge accomplishment and it always makes you stronger, whether you fail or succeed, you gain different things from that”

Cooper Told MTV News that the most challenging scene in the movie was a scene that depicts the death of Chris Kyle. In the scene, Kyle is on the phone with his wife, who has just told him of her pregnancy with their son when intense gunfire breaks out and as Kyle is under attack, his wife is on the other end of the line, helpless. Its one of the many scenes that Cooper struggled with as an actor.

Beyond the emotional toil, Cooper underwent physical challenges. As reported by People, Cooper endured four hours of physical training each day to bulk up for the part. Screenwriter Jeremy Hall told People that Bradley Cooper ate every 55 minutes and consumed about 8,000 calories a day.

Beyond that, Cooper had the opportunity to speak with Kyle before his life was cut short by a troubled gunman.

“Thank God I got to talk to him once on the phone,” Cooper said. “It was a very quick conversation. But I did tell him how serious I was about making this movie, and he should just know that whatever fears he had about Hollywood, to just put them aside and trust me. That I was going to do everything I could to tell this story.”

As previously reported by the Inquisitr, American Sniper is a film long anticipated by Bradley Cooper and if nothing else, the film shows the reverence Cooper has towards the man he portrays on-screen and the challenges he faced in the field.

Do you think the criticism is fair, or do you think Bradley Cooper is simply honoring Kyle?