Bradley Cooper Fondly Remembers His Late Father

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Oscar nominee Bradley Cooper is opening up about the life-changing moment his dad passed before his very eyes.

"My father gave me two gifts: having me and dying with me," the actor tells British GQ a little more than two years after watching his idol, Charles Cooper, succumb to lung cancer at age 71 in 2011.

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"I used to be the kid that got the shakes if I had to talk in public," remembers Cooper, who says his pop gave him a fearless zest for life. "Now, I just don't get nervous about that stuff."

Sitting down with ET earlier this year, the Silver Linings star credited his late father for fostering within him an early appreciation of film.

"My Dad and I were huge movie buffs," shared Cooper fondly.

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After the death, Cooper invited his mother Gloria to live with him in his Los Angeles home. The pair even hit the Academy Awards red carpet together.

Watch the video for more.