Even before "A Star Is Born" cemented Bradley Cooper's status as a Hollywood heavyweight, the actor had been proving himself to be a star to watch in the years following his smash success in 2009's "The Hangover."
Cooper, who first shot into stardom with early roles in "Wet Hot American Summer," "He's Just Not That Into You," and "Yes Man," has come a long way since, appearing in many of the silver screen's most acclaimed films of the past few years like "Silver Linings Playbook," "American Hustle," "American Sniper," and yes, this year's award season darling, "A Star Is Born."
With a rare talent for fluidly transitioning between comedies, dramas, or thrillers, Cooper's success has paid off, and in 2014 and 2015, Forbes named him one of Hollywood's highest paid actors. In light of his recent directorial debut, you might be wondering: What is Bradley Cooper's net worth?
It turns out that for the 44-year-old actor, critical acclaim and box office success appear to go hand in hand.
According to Celebrity Net Worth, Cooper was worth $100 million as of January 2017, meaning it's likely that he's pocketed quite a bit more since then. While the actor laid pretty low in 2017 after welcoming his daughter Lea with girlfriend Irina Shayk in March, he racked up directorial and acting credits in 2018. In addition to directing and co-starring alongside Lady Gaga in "A Star Is Born," Cooper played Colin Bates in the Clint Eastwood-directed "The Mule" and voiced the character of Rocket in "Avengers: Infinity War."
As of February 3, 2019, "A Star Is Born" has reportedly grossed $415.8 million worldwide, and its momentum shows no signs of slowing with the buzz around awards season. Considering that Cooper's co-star, Lady Gaga, reportedly made $50 million in 2018 to bring her fortune to its most recent reported estimate of $300 million, per Celebrity Net Worth, it's likely that the actor also received a lucrative pay package for directing and starring in the movie, despite its relatively low production budget of $36 million.
While Cooper became a household name with smaller roles in romantic comedies like "Failure to Launch" and "Wedding Crashers," his days as a leading man really started with his star turn in 2009's "The Hangover." The surprise hit was a box office success and the fact that he was paid more than eight times his starting salary of $600,000 for the "Hangover" sequel reflected his newfound star status.
Fresh off his "Hangover" success, Cooper would go on to star in movies like "He's Just Not That Into You," "Limitless," and "The A-Team," continuing to add to his global fame. In 2011, the actor was paid $5 million — more than eight times his salary for the first "Hangover" movie — to reprise his role as Phil in the sequel, according to Celebrity Net Worth. The third installment followed in 2013.
By 2014, Cooper had established himself as an awards season contender by earning a Best Actor Oscar nomination for his role in "Silver Linings Playbook," a Best Supporting Actor Oscar nomination for "American Hustle," and a Best Actor Oscar nod for his role as Chris Kyle in "American Sniper." It would also be his most lucrative year, as the commercial success of these films and his role as a producer earned Cooper $46 million that year.
According to Forbes, he was 2014's third-highest paid actor, behind fellow stars Dwayne Johnson and Robert Downey, Jr.
Cooper's star power showed no signs of slowing down in 2015. He co-starred with Jennifer Lawrence in "Joy," earned acclaim for his role as Brian Gilchrest is "Aloha," and returned to TV to reprise his role as Ben in "Wet Hot American Summer: First Day of Camp." His reported earnings of $41.5 million put him on Forbes' radar again, placing him fourth after actors Vin Diesel, Jackie Chan, and Robert Downey Jr.
In addition to starring roles on the big and small screen, Cooper has also accumulated some of his wealth through his work behind-the-scenes.
In 2014, Cooper teamed up with "Hangover" star Todd Phillips to sign a three-year first-look deal with Warner Bros. Previously, Cooper created 22nd & Indiana Pictures in 2012, again partnering with Warner Bros. for a two-year development deal that included projects like "American Sniper."
Cooper was also an executive producer on "American Hustle," "Silver Linings Playbook," and "War Dogs," according to IMDB, the director of "A Star is Born," and it looks like he'll be flexing his directorial skills once again with a future film about world-renowned conductor Leonard Bernstein.
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