A Star Is Born: reviews, news, and analysis of a classic Hollywood tale retold

Bradley Cooper’s directorial debut is the fourth movie to bear the title and plot arc of A Star Is Born, about one star rising while another dims.

Starring Stefani Germanotta (a.k.a. Lady Gaga) as an aspiring singer and Cooper as the famous but struggling songwriter who discovers and nurtures her talent, A Star Is Born positions its love story — which has been told in previous versions from 1937, 1954, and 1976 — within the music industry, and is laced with memorable songs from Gaga and Cooper.

A Star Is Born’s Hollywood-musical lineage, combined with positive critical notices following its debut, put the film in the awards season conversation before it even hit theaters. Its centerpiece song “Shallow” received an Oscar nomination for Best Original Song. The film also received Oscar nominations for Best Picture, Actor in a Leading Role (Cooper), Actress in a Leading Role (Lady Gaga), Actor in a Supporting Role (Sam Elliott), Adapted Screenplay (Eric Roth, Bradley Cooper, and Will Fetters), Cinematography (Matthew Libatique), and Sound Mixing. This is in keeping with A Star Is Born’s Hollywood legacy: Every previous iteration of the film has received multiple Academy Award nominations.

At the 2019 Golden Globes, A Star Is Born took home the awards for Best Original Song — Motion Picture (“Shallow”), Best Director — Motion Picture (Cooper), Best Performance by an Actress in a Motion Picture — Drama (Lady Gaga), and Best Performance by an Actor in a Motion Picture — Drama (Cooper).