Oscars success or Super Bowl glory: what did Eagles fan Bradley Cooper choose?

As the 2023 NFL season progresses, the Philadelphia Eagles continue to make good on their pre-campaign billing as one of the favourites to win Super Bowl LVIII in February.

Last Sunday’s 37-34 victory over the Buffalo Bills was the Eagles’ fifth in a row, and took the Pennsylvanians’ regular-season record to an impressive 10-1 as they chase the second Super Bowl crown in their history.

I’ll take Super Bowl over Oscars, says Cooper

Will the Eagles recapture the Vince Lombardi Trophy at Allegiant Stadium? Die-hard fans of the franchise would give just about anything to see Nick Sirianni’s men pull it off - just ask celebrity Philadelphia supporter Bradley Cooper, who has revealed that NFL glory is more important to him than Academy Awards recognition.

During an appearance on the Howard Stern Show on SiriusXM this week, Cooper admitted that he’d rather see Philadelphia crowned Super Bowl champions in three months’ time than scoop multiple Oscars for his new movie Maestro, in which he stars alongside Carey Mulligan.

He also directed and co-wrote the picture, which is being tipped to earn a number of Oscar nominations ahead of the 96th Academy Awards in March.

“I know, I’m sick”

“Sophie’s choice for 2024,” Stern asked Cooper. “You win the Oscar, not only for Best Director but Best Actor, and Carey Mulligan wins Best Actress - or the Eagles have a Super Bowl victory.” Without blinking, the actor and filmmaker responded: “An Eagles Super Bowl victory. I know, I’m sick. I’m not lying.”

Cooper has received nine Oscar nominations during his career, but has so far never claimed a statuette.

Cooper a regular at Eagles NFL games

For a number of years now, Cooper has been firmly established as one of the Eagles’ biggest and highest-profile fans, having on numerous occasions been spotted cheering on the team.

He was in attendance in February 2018 when the Eagles won their only Super Bowl so far, beating the New England Patriots 41-33 in Minneapolis. The 48-year-old was also present at Super Bowl LVII in February this year, when Philadelphia were edged out 38-35 by the Kansas City Chiefs.

Cooper has even taken his love for the Eagles onto the big screen, playing a fanatical supporter of the NFL franchise in the 2012 movie Silver Linings Playbook.

Maestro: Watch the trailer

Maestro, which focuses on the composer Leonard Bernstein (Cooper) and his relationship with his wife Felicia Montealegre (Mulligan), was released in the United States on 22 November 2023.