ADL defends Bradley Cooper after accusations he was depicting composer Leonard Bernstein with 'Jewface'

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The Anti-Defamation League (ADL) put out a statement in support of actor Bradley Cooper after he was accused of indulging in antisemitic tropes with his portrayal of Leonard Bernstein in an upcoming biopic.

"Throughout history, Jews were often portrayed in antisemitic films and propaganda as evil caricatures with large, hooked noses," the ADL wrote in a statement to TMZ. "This film, which is a biopic on the legendary conductor Leonard Bernstein, is not that."

A number of accounts, identified by NBC News in a recent story headlined, "Bradley Cooper accused of ‘Jewface’ over prosthetic nose in Leonard Bernstein biopic ‘Maestro,’" based their attacks on speculation that Cooper was using a "prosthetic nose."

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The Anti-Defamation League (ADL) put out a statement in support of actor Bradley Cooper after he was accused of wearing a "prosthetic nose" in the Leonard Bernstein biopic "Maestro." ((Photo by Jamie McCarthy/Getty Images))

"Bradley Cooper is facing mounting backlash over his apparent use of a prosthetic nose in his depiction of composer and conductor Leonard Bernstein," NBC News wrote. The story also cited a social media user who called the film an example of "Jewface."

Bernstein's children, Jamie, Nina and Alexander Bernstein, released a statement defending Cooper in the midst of the controversy. 

"It breaks our hearts to see any misrepresentations or misunderstandings of his efforts," the statement reads. 

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The family pushed back on "strident complaints" around Cooper's physical appearance in the film "as disingenuous attempts to bring a successful person down a notch -- a practice we observed all too often perpetrated on our own father." (Frazer Harrison/Getty Images)

The statement also seemed to reference the controversy around Cooper's portrayal of Leonard Bernstein in the film. 

"It happens to be true that Leonard Bernstein had a nice, big nose," the statement continued. "Bradley chose to use makeup to amplify his resemblance, and we're perfectly fine with that. We're also certain that our dad would have been fine with it as well."

The family pushed back on "strident complaints" around Cooper's physical appearance in the film "as disingenuous attempts to bring a successful person down a notch -- a practice we observed all too often perpetrated on our own father."

"Maestro" is expected to make its North American premiere at the New York Film Festival on Oct. 2, according to the group's website.

Cooper's agent did not respond to a request for comment. 

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