Bradley Cooper Wants To Be The 'Best Version' For His Daughter Lea

One of the most popular Hollywood couples, Bradley Cooper and Irina Shayk might have broken up a few years back; but, one thing that remains constant throughout the ups and downs of their relationship is the love for their daughter Lea. The Hangover actor started dating Irina Shayk in 2015 and welcomed their first and only child together, daughter Lea De Seine Shayk Cooper in 2017. While the actor has always focused on keeping his daughter out of the media spotlight, he never refrained from expressing his fondness and love for his little angel.

Recently, Bradley Cooper opened up on how becoming a father helped him sort out his life. During his recent appearance on the Armchair Expert with Dax Shepard podcast, the multi-talented Cooper shared how fatherhood has profoundly impacted his life. He also revealed the feeling that he would not have been alive if not for his daughter.

“I just needed someone to say, like, ‘We’re gonna drop this massive anchor. I’m like, ‘Why? We’re speeding! I just got an upgrade on the boat, and I know where the wind’s coming in.’ They’re like, ‘No, no, no, there’s a tsunami coming in, and you need an anchor and we’re gonna drop it.’ Because this is gonna dictate everything you do from now on. Your DNA is going to tell you that there’s something more important than you,” the Maestro actor said.

He admitted that he was quite confused after his daughter’s birth, only to later realise his love for her. “I don’t even know if I really love the kid. It’s dope. It’s cool. I’m watching this thing morph. All of a sudden, it’s like no question,” Cooper explained.

‘I always dreamt of a daughter’: Bradley Cooper

Notably, this is not the first time the actor-director-producer has spoken about his daughter. The 48-year-old Cooper once told NPR that having a daughter was something that he had always dreamt about. On the other hand, Shayk in an old interview with ELLE in November 2023 was seen praising Cooper as a father. “He’s the best father Lea and I could dream of. It always works, but it always works because we make it work,” she told the outlet.

Recently, Cooper was also seen stepping out with his six-year-old at the premiere of Maestro, in which little Lea plays young Jamie Bernstein. Lea looked adorable as she joined her daddy on the red carpet, posing for pictures.