Bradley Cooper, despite not securing an Oscar for his role in “Maestro,” didn’t let the loss dampen his spirits. Instead, he made a memorable cameo on the hit comedy “Abbott Elementary,” charming the fictional school’s students and staff.
In the episode of the Quinta Brunson-created series, Cooper plays as himself rocking a Cassius Clay jacket, while visiting the school as a guest of a second grader, Khalil.
The students and teachers are thrilled but slightly confused about his filmography. Barbara (Sheryl Lee Ralph) mistakenly praises him for “The Holdovers,” a mix-up with Paul Giamatti’s film, while Gregory (Tyler James Williams) corrects her, only to be corrected himself.
The confusion continues as Janine (Brunson) tries to set the record straight, but Melissa (Lisa Ann Walter) chimes in with “Oppenheimer,” another incorrect guess. Mr. Johnson (William Stanford Davis) adds to the comedy by asking if “Oppenheimer” is about Napoleon, prompting Cooper to clarify that he wasn’t in that film.
The showrunners, Justin Halpern and Patrick Schumacker, revealed that they often receive pitches from “very, very famous people” wanting to appear on the Emmy-winning series. However, they only accept cameos that make sense within the context of the show, which they treat as a real documentary about a Philadelphia school.
“We don’t want to break that sort of precious truth that we’re trying to seek out with the show. That said, sometimes it’s very hard to resist.”
Cooper’s Pennsylvania roots made his appearance on the show particularly fitting. During his cameo, he shares a local connection, mentioning a deli across the street from the school, further endearing him to the characters.
“Whenever I’m in Philly, you know the deli across the street? That’s my first stop. My dad used to always take me there. They have the best hoagies in the city.”
Bradley Cooper’s cameo can be seen on the latest episode of “Abbott Elementary”. Meanwhile, the series airs on ABC on Wednesdays at 9 p.m. and can be streamed on Hulu as well.
