The trailer for Netflix’s ‘Maestro‘ was recently released. Following the release, it faced backlash as Bradley Cooper‘s prosthetic nose was criticized for perpetuating Jewish stereotypes (“Jewface”).
Recently, Leonard Bernstein‘s family issued a statement supporting Bradley amid online criticism of his appearance in ‘Maestro’. They mentioned that Bradley’s use of makeup to enhance his resemblance was acceptable to them, and they believed their father would have approved as well.
On Twitter/X, Leonard Bernstein’s family wrote, “Bradley Cooper included the three of us along every step of his amazing journey as he made his film about our father. We were touched to the core to witness the depth of his commitment, his loving embrace of our father’s music, and the sheer open-hearted joy he brought to his exploration. It breaks our hearts to see any misrepresentations or misunderstandings of his efforts. It happens to be true that Leonard Bernstein had a nice, big nose. Bradley chose to use makeup to amplify his resemblance, and we’re perfectly fine with that. We’re also certain that our dad would have been fine with it as well.” they added, “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. At all times during the making of this film, we could feel the profound respect and, yes, the love that Bradley brought to his portrait of Leonard Bernstein and his wife, our mother Felicia. We feel so fortunate to have had this experience with Bradley, and we can’t wait for the world to see his creation. Jamie, Alexander, and Nina Bernstein.”
‘Maestro’ is a towering and fearless love story chronicling the lifelong relationship between cultural icon Leonard Bernstein and Felicia Montealegre Cohn Bernstein. A love letter to life and art, Maestro, at its core, is an emotionally epic portrayal of family and love.
Cooper directs and stars as Bernstein, with Carey Mulligan as Montealegre. The film also stars Matt Bomer, Maya Hawke, and Sarah Silverman in supporting roles. Produced by Cooper, Martin Scorsese, Steven Spielberg, and Todd Phillips, from a screenplay co-written by Cooper and Josh Singer.
Maestro will debut at the 80th Venice International Film Festival, contending for the Golden Lion on September 2, 2023. It will hit theaters on November 22, 2023, and then arrive on Netflix for streaming on December 20, 2023.
