A Jewish dental technician and prosthetics designer, who has worked on some of Hollywood’s biggest films, has slammed the backlash against Bradley Cooper’s fake “Jewish” nose in the upcoming film Maestro.
Cooper’s appearance in the newly released trailer for the Leonard Bernstein biopic sparked online chatter on Tuesday, with some calling out the actor and director for playing on “Jewface” stereotypes with the exaggerated facial features and the casting of a gentile actor in a Jewish role.
Gary Archer, who lives in Los Angeles and has worked on such films as The Wolf of Wall Street, Mrs. Doubtfire, Interview with the Vampire and the Austin Powers movies, described the reaction as “awkward horribly” and said the ruckus is just “stupid.”
In an exclusive conversation with DailyMail.com, Archer insisted 48-year-old Cooper is a “damn great actor” and admitted that he “doesn’t find it an iota offensive” that the star of The Hangover has been cast to play a Jewish person to play.
“Personally, I’m Jewish and have a big bump in my nose, but honestly, if you’re going to play a character with a nose like that, portray him that way. the prosthesis!’ he said.
New movie: Bradley Cooper plays the role of Leonard Bernstein in the upcoming film Maestro
Different look: Cooper wore prosthetics on his face to transform into the late composer
Icon: Leonard Bernstein was a conductor, composer, pianist and music educator who died in October 1990
He continued, “If you feel offended by everything, then you are going to live a very sad, miserable existence. It’s terribly awake.’
Archer said he sees “absolutely no” problem with Cooper playing a Jewish man and that he’s a “damn good choice” for the role of the late composer.
Honestly when people start saying, “Oh, he’s stereotyped Jewish people…” that’s just (really) stupid. Awake is the best word for it, it’s just stupid.
“There are a lot of Jewish people I work with in Hollywood and I can understand that he did something that put Jewish people in a very bad light, but he doesn’t. Leonard Bernstein was a great composer! It’s much ado about nothing!’
Speaking specifically about prosthetics, Archer continued, “Overall it improves the actor’s ability to get into character and if a nose helped Bradley get into Leonard Bernstein’s character, then more power to him, to the make -up people, and more power to the producer or director for saying, “Okay, let’s go down this road”.
“A lot comes down to the actor and the director, because they’re the ones who put the whole thing together and they’re the ones who’ll say, ‘Here’s who we want you to portray.’
“Some actors are very, very minimalistic and like to act without a bunch of prosthetics to get into the character, while other actors feel that to play the part well they should be more like him and I understand the fact that they much more like Leonard Bernstein.
“Honestly, I think all this stuff about a nose is a bit over the top,” the dental technician added, before complimenting famed prosthetics maker Kazu Hiro — the man responsible for Cooper’s Bernstein nose.
Co-stars: Carey Mulligan plays Bernstein’s wife Felicia Montealegre in the Netflix biopic
Artistic talent: Kazu Hiro, pictured here at the 2020 Oscars, is the artist who did Bradley’s prosthetics for Maestro
Transformation: The 48-year-old actor models a prominent nose in the film’s trailer, which lands on Netflix on December 20
“Kazu is really good at what he does, I’ve met him before and I’ve worked with him on other projects,” Archer said, before claiming that everyone is just “jumping on the waking bandwagon.”
“They’re way too sensitive and it’s like, ‘Let me pick something that I’m going to be offended about today,'” Archer said, revealing that he still gets backlash for the Austin Powers teeth he made.
“Do you know how much bullshit I still get from all those years ago when I made the Austin Powers teeth?” he admitted. ‘People come up to me and say ‘oh you’re the one responsible for the bad British teeth’. That whole genre of bad British teeth that all Britons have bad teeth.
And I say, “No, I’m not responsible for it!” Mike Myers asked me to make a denture, so I made a denture, Mike Myers played Austin Powers. Austin Powers is not characteristic of all British!
“It’s the illusion, it’s the ability to create an illusion,” he continued. “If we make vampire teeth for people, it’s an illusion, because we all know that people don’t walk around with vampire teeth anymore. We don’t have fangs that come out to bite people on the neck!’
Meanwhile, FX artist Holland Berson said she “can understand the controversy,” but praised Hiro’s work.
“As a makeup artist, I have great respect for Kazu Hiro’s work, and I believe his makeup design was intended to thoughtfully enhance the likeness of Leonard Bernstein,” Berson told DailyMail.com.
‘From stills I understand how the final look can appear as a caricature. I read that it is supported by the deceased conductor’s children, and I believe they are most entitled to an opinion.
The Expert: Gary Archer is a Jewish designer and maker of dental prostheses based in Los Angeles
Throwback: Archer is responsible for Mike Myers’ memorable teeth in the Austin Powers movies
“As a teacher for emerging artists and as a Jewish person, I also understand the controversy and the desire to see Jewish actors play Jewish roles.
“I believe this is the true crux of the situation, and it’s a necessary conversation for all of us as Hollywood and the rest of the industry navigate and define the evolving boundaries that keep people seen, safe and supported,” he added. them to it.
The comments come after it was alleged that a Cooper’s father stole the part of Bernstein from half-Jewish actor Jake Gyllenhaal.
Many have been quick to question why Gyllenhaal, whose mother is Jewish, was not cast despite previous interest.
The top two Hollywood A-Listers both pitched movies about the music star in 2018, but Cooper’s project won the rights to Bernstein’s music, effectively killing Gyllenhaal’s rival.
Gyllenhaal announced his project first, on May 1, confirming he would be collaborating with director Cary Fukunaga, with Bron Studios, before the pair scrambled to get approval for the music rights.
Cooper announced his plan on May 18.
In the end, Cooper came out on top, with Hollywood heavyweights Steven Spielberg and Martin Scorsese taking the rights alongside Paramount.
Gyllenhaal’s film – The American – was denied permission to use Bernstein’s music, including West Side Story, bringing the project to a screeching halt.