Bradley Cooper recently opened up about the process of making A Star Is Born and recalled a funny story about pitching the story to Beyoncé while an unbothered Jay-Z was nearby watching a court show.
Source: Kevin Mazur/Getty Images for The Recording Academy/ Samir Hussein/Wire / Getty
Cooper recalled the story during an interview with the SAG-AFTRA Foundation where he detailed wanting the songstress to play Ally, an aspiring singer, in A Star is Born, before the role eventually went to Lady Gaga.
Cooper explained that he pitched Beyoncé for the role to studio executive Greg Silverman, who told him he would do it only under two conditions; he could book Bey as the lead and “make it for under $25 million.”
According to Complex, he agreed to the terms and nervously met Bey at her home while Jay-Z casually sat nearby watching Judge Judy.
“I went to Beyoncé’s house and Jay-Z was watching Judge Judy, I still remember. I’m not kidding. And I was freaking [out],” Cooper explained in a video released by the foundation. “It was crazy. She was incredible and so was he, and we developed it for like a year together. I mean, she’s one of the greatest people of all time. Then that fell through.”
Learning Jay-Z loves Judge Judy is a fun fact that only Bradly Cooper could deliver to the world.
Unfortunately, Queen Bey became pregnant with her twins Rumi and Sir thus making her unable to play the leading lady. Later, he attempted to get Adele to replace Beyoncé before ultimately landing on Lady Gaga.
A Star Is Born earned eight nominations at the 91st Academy Awards and won Best Original Song for “Shallow” featuring Cooper and Gaga.
Watch Bradley Cooper’s full interview with the SAG-AFTRA Foundation below.