It is a weird thing to be one of the most successful people in Hollywood and also, statistically, one of the biggest "losers" in the history of the Dolby Theatre. We’re talking about 12 nominations. Twelve. That is a massive number. To put it in perspective, that’s more than legendary icons like Dustin Hoffman or Robert De Niro. But here is the kicker: every single time a presenter has opened an envelope containing a Bradley Cooper Academy Award nomination, they’ve read someone else's name.
Honest truth? It’s kind of wild. You've got a guy who can act, produce, write, and sing—and the Academy clearly loves him because they keep inviting him back—but he just cannot clinch the win. Some people call it a curse. Others say he’s just a "jack of all trades" who keeps running into specialists.
Whatever you call it, the story of Bradley Cooper at the Oscars is a masterclass in "always a bridesmaid."
The Acting Nods: From Bipolar Disorder to Leonard Bernstein
It all started back in 2013. Remember Silver Linings Playbook? Cooper played Pat Solitano Jr., a man struggling with bipolar disorder, and he was genuinely electric. It was his first real "serious" turn after years of being the Hangover guy. He was up for Best Actor, but he lost to Daniel Day-Lewis for Lincoln. To be fair, losing to Daniel Day-Lewis is basically a rite of passage for every male actor in Hollywood.
Then came the "three-year streak."
In 2014, he was back for Best Supporting Actor in American Hustle. He wore those tiny rollers in his hair and played a manic FBI agent. He lost to Jared Leto. The very next year, 2015, he was a double nominee for American Sniper. He was up for Best Actor and Best Picture (as a producer). He lost the acting trophy to Eddie Redmayne.
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Breaking Down the Acting Stats
Basically, Cooper has five acting nominations. They span a decade of work.
- 2013: Silver Linings Playbook (Best Actor)
- 2014: American Hustle (Best Supporting Actor)
- 2015: American Sniper (Best Actor)
- 2019: A Star Is Born (Best Actor)
- 2024: Maestro (Best Actor)
When he did Maestro, people thought this was finally it. He spent six years learning how to conduct a symphony for a six-minute scene. He wore the prosthetic nose. He did the whole press circuit. But Cillian Murphy’s Oppenheimer was a freight train that nobody was stopping.
The Producing and Writing Side of the Bradley Cooper Academy Award Nomination
Most people think Cooper only has a few nominations because they only count the acting ones. They're wrong. Half of his 12 nods come from producing and writing. He has become a powerhouse producer, often getting Best Picture nominations for movies he didn't even act in, like Joker (2019) and Nightmare Alley (2021).
It’s actually kinda genius. While everyone is focused on his face on the screen, he’s quietly building a resume as a top-tier filmmaker. For A Star Is Born, he was nominated for Best Picture, Best Actor, and Best Adapted Screenplay. For Maestro, it was Best Picture, Best Actor, and Best Original Screenplay.
But there’s a sting there, too.
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The biggest snub of his career—and he’s actually admitted this felt like a punch in the gut—was not being nominated for Best Director for A Star Is Born. He told Oprah Winfrey in an interview that he felt "embarrassed" when he didn't see his name in that specific category. He felt like he hadn't done his job.
Why the Wins Haven't Happened
It’s not for lack of talent.
Expert critics often point out that Cooper is a "merit" nominee. He’s always in the top five of the year, but he rarely has the "narrative" that carries an actor to a win. In 2019, he was great, but Rami Malek had the "transformation" narrative for Bohemian Rhapsody. In 2024, Cillian Murphy had the "overdue veteran" narrative. Cooper is often the guy who is consistently great but never the absolute undeniable peak of a single year.
Also, there is a segment of the Academy that views his work as "Oscar bait." That’s a harsh term, but when you spend years learning to conduct or gain a ton of weight to play a sniper, some voters feel like the "effort" is too visible.
What the 2026 Landscape Looks Like for Cooper
He isn't slowing down. He’s currently working on Is This Thing On? and has been linked to several high-profile projects with directors like Steven Spielberg. The consensus among industry insiders is that he will eventually get his "Leo moment." Leonardo DiCaprio had to wait decades and wrestle a bear in The Revenant before he finally got his statue.
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Cooper is currently sitting at 0-for-12. For context, the record for most nominations without a win belongs to sound engineer Greg P. Russell (who had 16). In terms of actors/filmmakers, Cooper is getting dangerously close to the territory of Peter O'Toole, who had eight acting nominations and zero wins (though he eventually got an honorary one).
Actionable Takeaways for Film Fans
If you’re tracking the Bradley Cooper Academy Award nomination saga, here’s what you should keep an eye on for the next few cycles:
- Watch the Categories: Cooper is more likely to win for Screenplay or Producing before he wins for Acting. The Academy loves to reward "multi-hyphenates" in the writing categories.
- Look for Smaller Projects: His biggest losses come from "prestige" biopics. If he does a smaller, more intimate indie film, it might strip away the "Oscar bait" label that some voters use against him.
- The Spielberg Connection: Cooper is set to play Frank Bullitt in a new Spielberg movie. Spielberg is an Oscar magnet. This could be the collaboration that finally breaks the streak.
The reality is that 12 nominations is a career most actors would die for. Winning is great, but being consistently ranked among the five best in the world across four different disciplines—acting, directing, writing, and producing—is a much rarer feat. He’ll get there. Probably. Or he’ll just keep being the most successful "loser" in the room, which honestly, is its own kind of legendary.
Next Steps for Readers
Check out the 2024 Oscar ceremony footage of the Best Actor category to see the "Maestro" reaction. Compare his performance in Silver Linings Playbook with Maestro to see how his acting style has shifted from raw energy to highly technical precision. This transition is often why his recent nominations have been so divisive among critics.