Bradley Cooper hit with backlash for strict rules on ‘Maestro’ set banning chairs: ‘Harsh conditions’

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his new film, “Maestro,” about the life and career of famed composer Leonard Bernstein.In an interview with Spike Lee for Variety’s “Directors on Directors” series, Cooper said “When we shoot the movie, no one’s allowed on set,” before clarifying that producer Steven Spielberg was the exception. “Steven Spielberg came three times, but other than him, there’s nobody.

It has to be a sanctuary.”He also explained that making the transition from actor to director and writer was “natural,” but he has his own distinct approach.“But when I direct, I don’t watch playback,” he said. “There’s no chairs.

I’ve always hated chairs on sets; your energy dips the minute you sit down in a chair. There’s no video village.”Video village refers to the area on set where monitors are set up for the director, often with director’s chairs for the cast and crew as well.Cooper made an additional comment in a video for Variety where he said, “[An] apple box is a very nice way to sit, and everybody’s together.”His comments sparked some backlash online.“For Bradley Cooper and everyone else who needs to hear it, you get the best work out of folks when they feel safe, included, and their needs are met.

If you have to create harsh conditions to get people to work, you are simply not good at leading. It’s a skill issue,” wrote one person on X.“Sorry but even completely able-bodied people are not performing at their artistic best when they’ve been standing for 14 hours,” another wrote.“I think every single person on set should get a provided chair, not just cast/video village, because working 12 hour+ days without being allowed to sit down is inhumane,” shared a third.Representatives for Cooper did not respond to Fox News Digital’s request for comment.The.