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'Abbott Elementary' Cast Gushes About Bradley Cooper: 'He's a Real Sweetheart'

By Emma Chance | Celebrity | March 18, 2024 |

By Emma Chance | Celebrity | March 18, 2024 |


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Quinta Brunson and the rest of the Abbott Elementary team knew they had to make the most of that post-Oscars spot on ABC. Enter Bradley Cooper.

“Bradley was really great,” said Brunson. “Once we realized we had the Oscar episode and we had the opportunity to do something flashy, I wanted to do a flashy cold open. So I just kind of went to the roots of Abbott, which are, ‘Who’s from Philly? Who’s associated with the city?’ And Bradley’s a Philly boy, everyone knows him as being a great member of the city.” He’s even got a cheesesteak truck! Or, you know, he did. It was a popup. But he tried!

“So we kind of called and Bradley was very in,” she continued. “We talked for a couple months on what was the best way to bring him in. He was busy on an Oscars campaign, but he and his team made it work. He’s a real sweetheart.”

Sheryl Lee Ralph said the cast knew it was happening, but had to keep it a secret. But when she saw Cooper on set she exclaimed, “There he was and I said, ‘OK, it’s the Philadelphia Maestro!’”

Turns out she wasn’t actually there though…

Lisa Ann Walter joked that it was her who made it happen: “Well, you know, I called him. Yeah, we dated for about three to four years. People don’t know that. You know, his mom and I still hang out, yeah.” But, seriously, Cooper’s a busy man.

“They arranged a time when he had a couple of hours, like literally in between awards that they were giving to him, and he stopped by. He banged out that scene in a couple hours and he was on his way to the Santa Barbara Film Festival. But he’s just delightful. Absolutely delightful.”