Bradley Cooper’s prosthetic nose defended against “Jewface” criticism by Anti-Defamation League
Bradley Cooper’s decision to use a prosthetic nose to portray Leonard Bernstein in his upcoming biopic Maestro.The Jewish organisation, which fights against antisemitism, released a statement on Monday (August 21) addressing the film after the actor was accused of performing in “Jewface”.In the statement (via Variety), the ADL said the use of prosthetics is not inherently tied to antisemitism. “Throughout history, Jews were often portrayed in antisemitic films and propaganda as evil caricatures with large hooked noses,” the organisation said.“This film, which is a biopic on the legendary conductor Leonard Bernstein, is not that.”Cooper, who also co-writes and directs the film, stars opposite Carey Mulligan in Maestro, which charts the relationship between Leonard Bernstein and his wife Felicia Montealegre.Bernstein, the son of Jewish-Ukrainian immigrants to the US, was a renowned composer and conductor perhaps best known for writing the music to West Side Story.Earlier this month, Bernstein’s family similarly defended Cooper’s decision to use prosthetics for the role.“It breaks our hearts to see any misrepresentations or misunderstandings of his efforts,” Bernstein’s children, Jamie, Alexander and Nina, said.