Sarah Silverman joins Bradley Cooper in Netflix’s Maestro
Silverman is set to play Leonard Bernstein's sister, Shirley Anne
Aux News Maestro
Bradley Cooper’s upcoming biopic about iconic Broadway composer Leonard Bernstein, Maestro, now has a new star in the mix. Sarah Silverman has signed on to play Bernstein’s sister Shirley Anne in the film, Deadline reports.
Cooper, who famously swooped up the exclusive rights to Bernstein’s story from Jake Gyllenhaal (sorry, Jake!), will play the musical genius in the film. He’s also set to direct. Carey Mulligan will play Bernstein’s wife, Felicia Montealegre, with Matt Bomer and Maya Hawke also filling out the cast.
Though Silverman is best known for her off-beat and often gleefully filthy comedy, the actress has proven her merit in dramatic roles as well, making memorable turns in Masters Of Sex and the 2015 film I Smile Back.
The film will reportedly organize its timeline around Bernstein and Montealegre’s decades-long love story, from their meeting in the 1940s to their life raising three children together. Cooper worked directly with Bernstein’s family to develop the film.
Cooper first announced Maestro in late January during a conversation with Mahershala Ali during Variety’s Actors On Actors series. Cooper shared that after the smash success of his 2018 directorial debut A Star Is Born, he was so excited at the prospect of both acting and directing again that he asked Steven Spielberg—who had been loosely attached to the project—for permission to wear both hats and direct Maestro himself. According to Cooper, Spielberg gave him the go-ahead; the legendary director will produce the film alongside Martin Scorsese.
For Maestro, Cooper also took on a new role as writer, penning the film’s script alongside Oscar-winning Spotlight screenwriter Josh Singer. The film will be released in theaters as well as on streaming. The film is already generating Oscar buzz, but Maestro has no official release date, and only just began filming.
Though a new big-screen, Cooper-directed musical might still be far off on the horizon, this casting update feels like as good a reason as any to stream “Shallow” today.
9 Comments
Why is Bradley Cooper turning into Patrick Dempsey? Surely Sarah Silverman should shine as she stars as Shirley.
Sure as shit!
So, not Peter David’s Maestro? Pass
Sarah decided that leopard print should no longer be the sole province of 60-something women.
Well, this is unexpected. She raised a not invalid stink when Kathryn Hahn was cast as Joan Rivers, over Hahn not being Jewish. And plenty of ink’s been spilled over straight actors cast as famous queer icons.*
*not saying Cooper’s as straight as he presents, but the guy’s not Jewish that I’ve heard of.
Wait, wait…the woman that’s been complaining about casting non-Jews in Jewish roles is joining a movie where she knows the Jewish lead is being played by a non-Jewish guy with a big prosthetic nose?
Maybe I’m crazy, Sarah is a fantastically beautiful woman…. maybe I’m turned on by humor…. or, I think Jew girls are smoking….
Either way Bradly Cooper is involved, which means it’s probably gonna be good 😉
And she’s unageing! She’s basically my age (51) and easily looks a decade younger!
Sarah Silverman apparently was one of the finalists for the Jennifer Lawrence role in Silver Linings Playbook, opposite Bradley Cooper. I thought it would have been more interesting with her, & the romance obviously more age-appropriate