Bradley Cooper says Steven Spielberg hired him to helm 'Maestro'

Jan. 12 (UPI) -- Bradley Cooper recalled how Steven Spielberg picked him to direct upcoming Leonard Bernstein biopic Maestro while appearing on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert.

Cooper told Colbert on Tuesday that he was obsessed with being a conductor of classical music and that Spielberg knew of his interest.

Spielberg then informed Cooper about Maestro and asked if he would play the lead role. Cooper responded that he wanted to direct after A Star is Born and asked if he could show Spielberg the film and then perhaps be chosen to helm Maestro.

"I'm showing him A Star is Born and he's all the way on the other side, in the front row. And it's the scene where Jackson calls Ally up on the stage, like the whole thing. It's the biggest scene in the movie," Cooper said before stating that Spielberg suddenly got up from his chair.

Cooper stated that he was convinced that Spielberg was going to the bathroom during his film's most important scene.

"He walks over, I'm putting my head down and the next thing I feel is his face. He said, and it's loud, 'You're [expletive] directing Maestro,' and then he sat back down and it was amazing," Cooper continued.

Maestro is heading to Netflix. Cooper will star as Bernstein in addition to directing, producing and co-writing the script. Bernstein is behind musical hits such as West Side Story, which Spielberg recently adapted.