There was significant uproar on social media earlier this year when House of Gucci was completely snubbed from Oscars nominations. The film, about the rise and fall of the Gucci family dynasty, starred Lady Gaga, Adam Driver, Al Pacino and others in a brilliant ensemble cast.
As soon as the first images of the film were released, fans went into overdrive, suggesting that an Academy Award was incoming, for Gaga especially. This turned out not to be the case, as the actress was unable to follow her 2019 heroics.
Gaga played another starring role in the romantic musical drama A Star is Born alongside Bradley Cooper in 2018. Her performance – as well as songwriting – for the film earned her three Oscar nominations. She won one for Best Original Song, for “Shallow,” which she also performed with Cooper at the 2019 Academy Awards.
It was just rewards for the artist, in what had actually been the first major big screen role of her career. Her hard work began in the audition process, which she would later reveal took hours on end.
What Role Did Lady Gaga Play In A Star Is Born?
On IMDb, one plot summary for A Star is Born reads: “Seasoned musician Jackson Maine discovers – and falls in love with – struggling artist Ally. She has just about given up on her dream to make it big as a singer – until Jack coaxes her into the spotlight. But even as Ally's career takes off, the personal side of their relationship is breaking down, as Jack fights an ongoing battle with his own internal demons.”
Bradley Cooper played the role of the veteran singer Jackson Maine, with Gaga featuring alongside him as the budding Ally. Cooper was also the director of the film, having taken over those responsibilities after Clint Eastwood dropped out of the project.
Numerous names were considered for those two main roles before the pair finally landed them, however. Over the course of about three and a half decades, Will Smith, Paul Walker, Christian Bale, Leonardo DiCaprio, Tom Cruise and Johnny Depp were all scoped out to play Jackson Maine.
Aaliyah, Lauryn Hill, Mariah Carey, Esperanza Spalding, and Jennifer Lopez were all considered for the part of Ally, with Beyoncé coming closest to sealing the deal in 2011.
How Long Did Lady Gaga’s Audition For Her Role In A Star Is Born Last?
Having been confirmed as the director for the project, Bradley Cooper immediately set about landing Lady Gaga to play Ally. The famous singer still had to prove herself, however, especially as she had quite limited experience in such major roles before.
In an interview featuring both Cooper and Gaga for Entertainment Weekly in August 2018, she confirmed that she had indeed auditioned for the part. The first-time director provided the details for what that screen test looked like, and exactly how much time they spent on it.
“We shot 10 pages in one day at her house. We were moving like lightning and she completely gave herself to the process,” Cooper said, as he also praised his co-star for bringing her A-game to the project: “Not everybody can do that — 10 pages in eight hours.”
While the American Sniper star was marveling over Gaga’s work ethic, she was being blown away by the discovery that he could actually sing like a rock star.
Bradley Cooper Helped Gaga To Find Her Character In A Star Is Born
Explaining what it was like to watch and hear Bradley Cooper sing and play for the first time, Lady Gaga said: “We sat down at the piano at my house and I heard him sing, and I remember I stopped playing. I was like, ‘Oh my gosh, Bradley, you can sing!’ And then we kept going. Before we knew it, we were harmonizing.”
That same spirit of excellence and spontaneity carried on to the set when they were actually filming. Ironically, Cooper had to adjust to taking on the role of an experienced music performer, while Gaga had to depict a character who was not only shorn of experience but confidence.
According to the actress, Cooper’s presence on stage helped her find that raw, scared element of her character: “To be honest, I really felt afraid to take the stage with Jackson Maine because I was also going on with Bradley Cooper,” she said. “At the time, I was always very aware that I was in the midst of a tremendously talented human being.”
