Spike Lee Talks Rejecting Bradley Cooper From an Early Audition (Exclusive)

Spike Lee and Bradley Cooper
Michael Kovac/Getty Images for AFI

"My brother Bradley Cooper, he'll be alright."

Spike Lee has no recollection about passing on Bradley Cooper in an audition.

ET's Keltie Knight caught up with the 61-year-old BlacKkKlansman director at the Oscars Nominee Luncheon in Beverly Hills, California, on Monday and he admitted to not remembering when Cooper auditioned for him back in the day. Lee's comments came days after Cooper revealed his audition with the filmmaker about 10 years ago.

"He says it happened, I believe him but he doesn't know what it was," Lee noted of Cooper's uncertainty as to what role he auditioned for at the time.

"He wasn't Bradley Cooper then, but you know what? It worked out for him," Lee quipped. "He's doing alright. My brother Bradley Cooper, he'll be alright."

As for whether he'd offer the A Star is Born actor an audition now, Lee said that the 44-year-old star "ain't auditioning no more, nor should he."

"You have to offer him the script, the role," Lee said. "He and I are cool and I would love to work with him one day, would love to, would love to."

Cooper's initial reveal, which Lee reacted to by jumping out of his seat with excitement, came during a discussion at the Directors Guild Theater over the weekend.

“You get a chance to read for Spike Lee, I mean you’re never going to forget that,” Cooper told the audience at the event. "He was so kind."

"I still remember, you sat down for a minute, you said ‘Hello, how are you?’ You asked me about Philly. And then I did the thing, you said 'Thank you.' You know, you got me out quick,” Cooper joked. 

While Cooper didn't land a role in Lee's past project, he is a favorite at this year's Academy Awards, where he's nominated for Best Actor, Best Adapted Screenplay and Best Picture for his work on A Star Is Born.

As for Lee's BlacKkKlansman movie, it's nominated for Best Picture, Best Director and Best Adapted Screenplay.

Cooper is set to perform his and Gaga's nominated song, "Shallow," from A Star Is Born at the Oscars, a task he told ET he's "not at all" ready for. 

"I'm going to have to prepare a  lot," he admitted.

Watch the video below for more on Cooper:

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