Bradley Cooper

We started making that movie.

He was alive.

He got killed while he was still negotiating with Warner Brothers.

I think we just closed his deal.

And then he was murdered on February 2nd, I believe.

And it was just like, whoa.

And, um, and then, but in fact, we were like, now we really got to make this movie.

And, um, and then Clint and I flew to Midlothian, Texas and met with his family and his widow and his parents and then the kids.

And I had played, I did The Elephant Man.

I did it as a play in my thesis in grad school.

And then I did it at Williamstown and then I actually did it in New York and London.

So, and that, and even though it's a long time ago, that was the first time I felt that responsibility because I actually loved that guy, Joseph Merrick.

And I felt that responsibility to him.

So I had done something like that before.

But this was the next time.

It was massive, Joe.

But I think that it's like you're always looking for what's the fuel that's going to allow me to work as hard as I can.

And the fuel when you're playing a real person is like there's like four extra canisters or like vats of firepower for you to work hard on.

Because you're looking across the eyes of somebody and say, I'm going to serve your son or your husband or your father.

It's a major responsibility.