Lady Gaga Shares Details About Her Relationship With Bradley Cooper

When Lady Gaga and Bradley Cooper performed “Shallow” together at the 91st Academy Awards, their obvious intimacy sparked red-hot rumors of a real-life romance. And while the world discussed whether the two had actually begun dating in private, the stars themselves kept notably schtum. Since then, though, Gaga herself has revealed the truth about her relationship with her co-star. So, what juicy tidbits did she manage to spill?

Oscars to remember

Unless you’ve been living under a rock for the past several years, you’ve probably seen coverage of the February 2019 Oscars. And even if you didn’t catch the ceremony as it aired live, you’ll likely have watched clips of some of the most memorable moments – Olivia Colman’s hilarious acceptance speech, anyone? – on TV or the internet. But practically everything else paled in comparison to the undoubted highlight of the night.

Iconic duet

We’re talking, of course, about that Gaga/Cooper duet. During a break in the awards announcements, the pair sang “Shallow” – the romantic hit from their 2018 remake of A Star Is Born. And the stars’ palpable chemistry not only wowed the legions of famous faces in the audience, but also many of those watching at home.

One trademark of many

That stand-out performance was even enough to get gossip hounds talking about a romance. But ever since she burst onto the music scene back in 2008, Gaga hasn’t exactly lacked for column inches. The singer/songwriter first rose to fame with eclectic but catchy hit singles such as “Poker Face” and “Bad Romance.” And Gaga’s visually striking music videos have shown off yet another of her trademarks: a unique fashion sense.

Making heads turn

Gaga has often made headlines with her controversial wardrobe – not least the infamous dress she sported to the 2010 MTV Video Music Awards. But although she’s caused something of a stir on occasion, the performer also has a definite philanthropic streak. She’s used proceeds from merchandise sales to aid disaster relief, for instance.

Speaking out again

Gaga – who has described herself as “sexually empowering women” with her performances – has also spoken out for LGBT causes on numerous occasions. Then there’s the non-profit organization she founded back in 2012 in a bid to help encourage and support young people. She named the charity the Born This Way Foundation after one of her most popular songs.

Arsenal of talent

When Gaga isn’t helping folk or making music, though, she likes to act. And while she’s known by some for portraying The Countess in American Horror Story: Hotel, her most famous role to date is in the remake of the 1937 film A Star Is Born. It’s actually the third time that Hollywood has revisited the original, which starred Janet Gaynor in her Technicolor debut.

A straightforward plot

In the latest version of A Star Is Born, Gaga plays an aspiring singer named Ally. Then, at a club, her path crosses with that of the troubled country music star Jack Maine, and the two begin an artistic and romantic relationship. Maine, of course, is played by Cooper, who also acts as the film’s director and producer.

No stranger to the business

And while Cooper may have only sat in the director’s chair once at time of writing, he’s far from green when it comes to showbiz. The acclaimed actor initially rose to fame for his part in 2009’s The Hangover and has been in demand as a leading man ever since. He doesn’t even have to appear in front of the camera for you to recognize his voice, either, as he’s given vocal life to the Marvel Cinematic Universe’s trigger-happy Rocket Raccoon.

Raising eyebrows

If you’ve watched A Star Is Born or seen Cooper and Gaga’s Oscar performance, though, you’ll know that the actor can also sing. That memorable duet began after staff at the awards ceremony wheeled a piano onto the stage. Then Cooper and Gaga rose from their seats hand in hand – which in itself may have raised a few eyebrows.

A performance to remember

And after the pair had taken position, they began their rendition of “Shallow.” Gaga and Cooper gazed into each other’s eyes for the majority of their memorizing performance, which culminated in a mic-sharing finale. It was all so intimate, in fact, that a Gaga-Cooper romance seemed almost inevitable – if it wasn’t already a thing.

The rumors begin

The suspicion that Gaga was no longer with her fiancé only added fuel to the fire. The singer had become engaged to talent agent Christian Carino in November 2017, but fans noticed that something was wrong when she attended the February 2019 Grammy Awards. Simply put, Gaga’s ring finger was noticeably unembellished.

Unmentioned

And the star dropped another hint that not all was well when collecting a Grammy for “Shallow” on behalf of herself and Cooper. At the end of Gaga’s tear-filled address, one person remained unmentioned – and his exclusion spoke volumes.

Big thanks

“Thank you so much,” Gaga gushed during her acceptance speech at the awards. “I gotta thank God. Thank you for looking out for me, thank you for my family at home, I love you... I wish Bradley was here with me right now... Bradley, I loved singing this song with you.”

Simple story

Predictably, Gaga’s representatives went on to confirm that, yes, she had split with Carino. And an unidentified source explained exactly why the two had parted ways when talking to People. “It just didn’t work out,” the insider reportedly said. “Relationships sometimes end. There’s no long dramatic story.”

What's really going on

Cooper, on the other hand, was very much taken at the time of the Oscar performance. He had started dating supermodel Irina Shayk in 2015, with the couple having welcomed daughter Lea De Seine two years later. Even so, this did little to prevent the swirling rumors of a Cooper-Gaga romance.

Imagining his girlfriend

And the media has picked apart the responses to the heart-melting “Shallow” duet – starting with those that came from folks present at the performance. The Spice Girls’ Melanie Brown spoke to Good Morning Britain about her feelings on the subject, and in customary fashion she didn’t hold back. “I felt so uncomfortable for Bradley’s girlfriend, oh my gosh,” she said of Shayk.

The 'Women's Code'

Brown made it clear, though, that she wasn’t accusing the singers of anything untoward. “I would like to think it was part of the whole performance,” she continued. “Because there’s a women’s code, and hopefully that’s not... hopefully it’s only professional.”

Celebs weigh in

The ex-Spice Girl wasn’t the only celebrity to air their opinion on the duet. Comedian and actor David Spade also weighed in with a – very blunt – comment on social media. “Is there any chance these two aren’t f***ing?” he captioned an Instagram picture of Gaga and Cooper performing. And a response of sorts came from none other than Jennifer Esposito – Cooper’s ex-wife.

Simple response

Esposito replied simply – although somewhat cryptically – with the word “Ha.” But while media sources were quick to jump on the comment, the actress attempted to clarify herself with a live Instagram post. “It was towards David Spade’s very outward statement about something about an ex,” she said in the video.

Can't deny the chemistry

“I literally laughed at [Spade] because he was so bold in what he was saying,” Esposito elaborated. “And I thought it was funny. I’m allowed to think something is funny.” Whatever Esposito’s true feelings on the subject, though, the chemistry between Gaga and Cooper definitely had the general public in a flutter.

What's happening?

And the romantic moment totally swept away a lot of folks on social media. “Why yes, I did scream ‘KISS!’ from the balcony of the Dolby Theatre,” one person tweeted. Another added with mock dismay, “Wait, they cut away just as they were about to make out.”

Nerve-wracking

Others couldn’t help but put themselves in Shayk’s position. “I also would have tiptoed backstage so they couldn’t cut to me if I were that man’s wife,” an observer wrote. A fellow fan contributed, “I’m sorry, but if you’re Bradley’s wife, aren’t you just… slightly… nervous?”

No comment

Yet while some have been questioning Shayk’s opinion on the intimate duet, she’s offered no official comment. All we have to go on, in fact, is the model’s live reaction to the “Shallow” performance as it went on at the Oscars. So, was she as apprehensive or jealous as Twitter users assumed?

Arranged seating

Well, eyewitness accounts indicate that the tension between Gaga and Shayk is all imaginary. For one, there’s the fact that the women sat together with Cooper both before and after the duet. And that’s not even to mention Shayk’s moving response to the performance.

Catching her reaction

Chris Gardner, who works for The Hollywood Reporter, caught Shayk’s reaction on camera and shared it on social media. “Here’s what standing ovation looked like inside Dolby for @ladygaga and Bradley Cooper after their “Shallow” #Oscars performance,” he wrote. “Irina Shayk was first up out of her seat.”

Approving hug

And not only did Shayk seemingly instigate the ovation, but she also welcomed the singers back to their seats when they returned. She gave Gaga a hug from her seat after the duet, too, suggesting that she approved. So, what is the actual situation between Cooper and his co-star?

Going down in history

Well, wonder no more, as Gaga spoke frankly on the subject in an interview on Jimmy Kimmel Live! The host started off by saying to the pop star, “I can tell, I know you put a lot of work into everything you do. And that performance that you and Bradley gave, that was really one of the great performances in the history of the Oscars.”

They must be in love The

“It was like… I mean… we were watching it at home,” Kimmel continued. “And we were like, ‘Oh my, what is going on between these two?’ I know it caused this big controversy. Because you had such a connection with Bradley that instantly… people started saying, ‘They must be in love.’”

The glories of social media

“First of all, social media, quite frankly, is the toilet of the internet,” Gaga replied. “And what it has done to pop culture is just, like, abysmal.” Then she revealed the truth behind her relationship with Cooper – and it’s nothing like what excitable fans would have you believe.

Oscar performance

Gaga continued, “Yes, people saw love, and guess what? That’s what we wanted you to see. This is a love song, “Shallow.” The movie A Star Is Born is a love story.” It turns out that the entire performance was orchestrated by her and Cooper, and evidently their preparation paid off.

Pouring heart and soul

“We worked so hard,” Gaga described. “We worked all week on that performance... You know, I never relinquish control of a live stage performance. I’ve done a million of them. But [Bradley] directed this film, and he directed all of the, obviously, musical moments in the film.”

Laying it all out

After having gotten to know Cooper professionally, then, Gaga had wanted his opinion on the performance. So she deferred to him on the stage direction for the Oscars duet that tricked everyone into seeing love. “He laid it all out,” Gaga said of Cooper’s plans.

Bradley's vision

“Everything that you saw, the way that it was shot, the way they pushed the piano out,” Gaga said. “You saw them put the piano together, us walk up on stage, no intro, all of it. That was all [Bradley].” Apparently, the actor even suggested lighting the audience rather than just him and Gaga.

All part of the act

And Gaga went on to describe how the experience had felt for her at the time. She explained, “It was just great, and from a performance perspective it was just so important to both of us that we were connected the entire time.” Sadly for gossipmongers everywhere, the intimacy was all part of her and Cooper’s act.

It's a love song, after all

“When you’re singing love songs, that’s what you want people to feel,” the A Star Is Born actress added. “I’m an artist, and I guess we did a good job. Fooled ya!” Then Kimmel asked Gaga about Cooper’s feelings about the duet, as he’s predominantly known as an actor rather than a musician.

Live television is different

“Bradley did a great job,” Kimmel said. “And I’ve known him for a long time. It’s one thing to go on stage and sing on the Oscars. That’s terrifying just to start. But then to sing with you and to be trading lines with you! In a movie, you can pick and choose, but when you’re on live television… was he terrified?”

Practicing every moment

But Gaga described Cooper as nothing but professional – both in his live performance and on set. “No, [he wasn’t terrified], because we practiced and we worked hard,” she said. “Bradley’s a musician. My favorite thing about the whole experience was that I was just so excited for people... to see him sing live.”

The room couldn't get enough

“[Bradley] sang every take in this movie live, every single time,” Gaga continued. And when Cooper sang his first line of “Shallow” at the Oscars, it wasn’t just the audience cheering. Gaga said at that moment that she was also encouraging him internally. She knew that they had the room hooked.

We got this!

Gaga concluded, “I was so excited, and I was in the moment. But, you know, when we started and he started singing ‘Tell me something, girl,” the whole audience started cheering. And I was like, ‘Yes, Bradley, yes, they love it, keep going! We’ve got this!’ It was great.”