Bradley Cooper and Ben Affleck Look Like BFFs at These Awards Shows
A romance may or may not be brewing between Bradley Cooper and Jennifer Garner. However, one thing’s for sure. The actor and director of A Star is Born has a history with Garner’s ex-husband, Oscar winner Ben Affleck. They’ve been friendly at awards shows for years and run in the same social circles in Hollywood.
Bradley Cooper and Ben Affleck celebrated wins at the 2013 Critics’ Choice Movie Awards
The 2013 awards show season proved to be a big one for both Affleck and Cooper. They received multiple nominations for Argo and Silver Linings Playbook. At the 18th annual Critics’ Choice Awards on January 10, 2013, Affleck and Cooper won in multiple categories.
The Silver Linings Playbook star gave Affleck a big hug when he won the award for Best Director. According to MTV, Affleck didn’t get an Oscar nod that year for the same award.
Upon taking the stage to accept his Critics’ Choice Award, Affleck made a joke about the Oscar snub, saying, “I’d like to thank the Academy!” before laughing and adding, “This is the one that counts.”
Affleck took the stage once again when Argo won the Best Picture category.
As for Cooper, he’d been nominated for two awards that evening; Best Actor and Best Actor in a Comedy. He lost out in the Best Actor category only to win the Comedy category. Silver Linings Playbook also won for Best Comedy.
Apart from their celebratory hug after Affleck’s win, the two shared a friendly handshake when Cooper headed for the stage.
In good spirits throughout the evening, Cooper visited Affleck at his table where the two chatted.
Ben Affleck and Bradley Cooper have known each other for years
Affleck and Cooper’s connection goes back to the early 2000s when Cooper starred in the ABC action series, Alias, with Affleck’s future wife, Garner.
They became close friends outside of the show, attending industry events together. In 2004, when Affleck and Garner started dating, the Good Will Hunting star may have crossed paths with Cooper as Alias didn’t go off the air until 2006.
Given their history, it’s no wonder Affleck and Cooper are so friendly with each other at awards show. Affleck planted a kiss on Cooper’s check at the Screen Actors Guild Awards in 2014.
Bradley Cooper helped Ben Affleck on his sobriety journey
Cooper and Affleck’s friendship runs deep. When Affleck opened up about his alcohol use during a 2020 interview with Diane Sawyer for Good Morning America, he thanked Cooper and Robert Downey Jr. by name.
“Bradley and Robert have been really helpful to me and really supportive,” Affleck said. “They’re wonderful men.”
Later, Brad Pitt opened up about Cooper, saying he also helped him on his own sobriety journey.
Bradley Cooper and Ben Affleck have starred in 1 movie together
Cooper and Affleck both starred in the 2009 romantic comedy, He’s Just Not That into You. Based on the self-help book of the same name, the film follows friends and couples navigating their love lives.
Although they starred in the same movie, they didn’t spend much time together on camera. Affleck spent the majority of his scenes with Jennifer Aniston and Cooper with Scarlett Johansson.
