Bradley Cooper’s New Movie Faces Criticism From NYC Locals

Bradley Cooper’s newest project may be making waves in Hollywood, but for residents of Douglaston, Queens, the film’s production has become more of a headache than a highlight.

The Oscar-nominated actor and director is helming the upcoming film “Is This Thing On?”, which stars Laura Dern and Will Arnett alongside Cooper himself. However, while the film may boast an impressive cast, its late-night shoots and production disruptions are reportedly driving locals up the wall, along with their pets.

In addition to acting, Bradley Cooper is also directing “Is This Thing On?”

According to sources, the production crew has been filming late into the night, with loud generators running until 1 or 2 a.m.. The constant activity, including vans blocking roads and driveways as they shuttle crew members around, has left many residents frustrated.

“The noise is all day and night,” one local told Page Six, adding that the disturbance has been worse than past film productions in the area, which has hosted major projects like “Rabbit Hole,” “American Gangster,” and “Run All Night”.

“I’ve never seen anything like this. Roads are blocked off. No one asked if they could put cables on my driveway! I went flying over this big box they left over the cables,” another resident complained.

The constant crew activity, shouting, and movement throughout the neighborhood isn’t just bothering humans, as it’s reportedly affecting the local pets as well.

“This little guy is a barker, and these people are driving him nuts… 80 people running and screaming all day,” a resident said of their dog, who has been particularly on edge since filming began.

The resident even alleged that crew members have attempted to stop them from walking their dog, claiming, “This lady stops me and [says], ‘Can you wait?’ No! I’ve had it with you!”

Despite the production challenges, Laura Dern, who stars in the film, has managed to make a positive impression on at least one local.

“Dern was very sweet,” a source shared. Unfortunately, not even her kindness could keep the barking at bay.

While the movie’s official plot remains under wraps, Cooper has shared a few details about his small role in the film.

“I play a guy who’s an understudy actor and he’s understudying a play called ‘The 13 Disciples,’ and he’s understudying all of them. So that’s what this is about,” he revealed on ESPN’s “Pat McAfee Show” earlier this year, noting it’s a “small part” and that he “just plays [Arnett’s] best friend” in the feature.

Cooper also indicated that the play within the film, “The 13 Disciples,” is why he’s growing out a beard. “It’s like a little comedy that Will Arnett is the star of, [along with] Laura Dern and Andrew Day. It’s a great cast.”

“I’ll operate the camera, which I’m very excited about because we did some stuff. We went down to Chinatown and yeah, it’s been amazing. […] We start in two weeks, so it’s kind of crazy,” Cooper said at the time.

“Filmmaking truly, honestly, is very similar to sports team sports, like no question,” Cooper said on the show. “It’s all about creating a culture. It’s all about just the shot you’re in and not thinking about just the end of the movie. It’s very, very similar to football in particular, you know, if one of the 11 messes up, the whole thing’s screwing up and people don’t see that from the outside, but if you’re in it, you know that very well.’

The actor added, “Same thing in a movie set. That’s why it’s always interesting when you just talk about certain crew members, but anybody that’s ever made a movie knows that the camera operator and the dolly grip and the sound mixer and the first AD, these are key positions that are as important as the actors or anybody else.”

With filming still underway, locals are hoping for a little more peace and quiet, but for now, it seems Cooper’s latest directorial effort is making more enemies than fans in Queens.