Bradley Cooper criticised for carrying prosthetic nostril to painting Jewish conductor Leonard Bernstein

Bradley Cooper’s use of a prosthetic nostril to play Jewish conductor Leonard Bernstein in a brand new film is the equal of black-face or yellow-face, a Jewish actress has claimed.

But Bernstein’s kids stated their father, who wrote the music for West Side Story, had a “nice, big nose”, they usually feared makes an attempt had been being made to carry Cooper “down a notch”.

In Maestro, the actor stars reverse Carey Mulligan in a drama that focuses on Bernstein’s relationship together with his spouse, Felicia Montealegre.

In an official trailer launched by Netflix, Cooper – identified for A Star Is Born and American Sniper – is seen with a notably bigger nostril than his actual one.

Some on-line commentators have posted photos of Cooper and Bernstein aspect by aspect, declaring that Cooper’s prosthetic seems to be larger than Bernstein’s precise nostril.

The conductor, who received 16 Grammy Awards, died in 1990.

Tracy-Ann Oberman, identified for her roles in EastEnders and After Life, implied that Cooper mustn’t have wanted to put on a prosthetic.

She wrote on Instagram that if Cooper was chosen over a “Jewish A-lister who can equally play that role” then his appearing ought to be “so magnificent and truthful that the character of Bernstein shines through what he already looks like”.

She added: “If he must put on a prosthetic nostril then that’s, to me and lots of others, the equal of black-face or yellow-face.

“If Bradley Cooper can’t do it through the power of acting alone then don’t cast him – get a Jewish actor.”

Bernstein’s three kids, nevertheless, stated it “breaks our hearts to see any misrepresentations or misunderstandings” of Cooper’s work.

They added: “It happens to be true that Leonard Bernstein had a nice, big nose.

“Bradley selected to make use of make-up to amplify his resemblance, and we’re completely advantageous with that.

“We’re also certain that our dad would have been fine with it as well.”

Jamie, Alexander and Nina Bernstein stated they felt that “any strident complaints around this issue strike us above all as disingenuous attempts to bring a successful person down a notch – a practice we observed all too often perpetrated on our own father”.

They stated that Cooper “included the three of us along every step of his amazing journey as he made his film about our father”.

They stated they “could feel the profound respect and, yes, the love that Bradley brought to his portrait of Leonard Bernstein and his wife, our mother Felicia”.

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They added: “We feel so fortunate to have had this experience with Bradley, and we can’t wait for the world to see his creation.”

Cooper additionally directed the film, which is out in November, and co-wrote the screenplay.

Oberman isn’t alone in criticising the casting of Cooper. Daniel Fienberg, chief tv critic with The Hollywood Reporter, tweeted earlier this yr that it was “problematic”.

There have additionally been objections to Cillian Murphy, who isn’t Jewish, enjoying the Jewish nuclear physicist Robert Oppenheimer.

David Baddiel has described such casting as “complacent” and linked to “Jewish erasure”.

However, journalist and tech entrepreneur Brian Krassenstein stated he was advantageous with Cooper enjoying Bernstein.

He posted on X, previously referred to as Twitter: “Relax! Movies are art. An actor’s job is to portray the character they play to the best of their ability.

“I’m Jewish. My nostril is giant. Many Jewish individuals’s noses are giant. It’s only a reality.”