This Guardians of the Galaxy Star Literally Lied His Way into Hollywood's A-List
One of the industry’s biggest actors lied to the casting director to land his first acting gig — and then (what a surprise) had to deal with the consequences.
For aspiring young actors, getting their first lead roles is one hell of a challenge. Some get noticed by more experienced peers when starring as tertiary characters; some get lucky; some put in relentless work to prove themselves regardless of who they play. Others resort to, well, less morally correct methods of landing their gigs.
Bradley Cooper is, undoubtedly, among the most famous actors in the world. Cooper has an amazing resume, having starred in iconic movies like American Sniper, Hangover, The Dark Fields, and many others…he also voice-acts Rocket Racoon from Guardians of the Galaxy! But things weren’t always this good for the actor.
By the end of the 1990s, Bradley Cooper was still unknown in the industry and desperate for his big breakthrough. Lead roles just weren’t coming, and the actor knew that he needed one if he wanted to make a name for himself… And finally, in 1999, an opportunity presented itself — the new Sex and the City Season 2 casting.
The show had an opening for Jake, Carrie Bradshaw’s lover, and Cooper knew that it was his time to shine. His talent and charm convinced the casting director that he was the guy for the job, but there was an additional requirement that he didn’t really fit. Desperate to land this role, Cooper lied — and bagged the part of Jake.
But then, his lies came back at him when the truth came out.
“He told them he knew how to drive a stick because it was his first job and he was desperate to get it. And then the time came for him to pull out, and he was like, ‘I don’t know how to drive a stick,’” shared Sex and the City’s star Cynthia Nixon.
Fortunately, with a little help from Sarah Jessica Parker, Bradley managed to handle the car and keep his head on his shoulders. After that, as the second season of the iconic show came out, Bradley Cooper’s career changed forever: he started getting recognition, and soon, many more big-name projects came his way.