Alicia Keys and Beyoncé each had their reasons for turning down “A Star is Born.” Keys’ manager, Jeff Robinson, told MTV, “She was asked to do it, but her first movie shouldn’t be a movie where she’s basically playing herself.” As for Beyoncé, it came down to a busy schedule. Needless to say, there was a lot riding on yet another remake for a story people had seen before multiple times. And that also came down to finding the right man to star opposite the leading lady.
While Will Smith was considered in the early 2000s, the Variety article mentions some of the heavy hitters Clint Eastwood considered, including Leonardo DiCaprio, Christian Bale, Tom Cruise, Johnny Depp, and, interestingly enough, Bradley Cooper. The article is from 2012 when Cooper’s star was still on the rise after the massive success of “The Hangover,” but he hadn’t really had a chance to show off his dramatic chops yet. He’d ultimately end up getting the part, and 2018’s “A Star is Born” marked his directorial debut.
The finished product was ultimately nominated for eight Academy Awards, winning for best original song for “Shallow,” which also received a ton of radio airplay. It’s a monumental achievement, made all the more impressive that Cooper considered leaving Hollywood beforehand and took a huge gamble with “A Star is Born.” It’s safe to say everything worked out for the best in the end.
