Bradley Cooper is one of the most well-known actors in the world and is known for his charming looks, his great performances, and his directing abilities. The actor was last seen in the biopic Maestro, which he directed and starred in as noted composer Leonard Bernstein.

Cooper began his career in the TV series Alias, in which he co-starred with actress Jennifer Garner. While he has a special place in his heart for Garner, Cooper had often revealed how he felt that the show was harmful to his career and he did not have much to do. In fact, he even pitched some scenes to creator JJ Abrams, before leaving the show for good.

Bradley Cooper Was Frustrated With His Role In Alias

Bradley Cooper

Before Bradley Cooper became a household name with the comedy films The Hangover and Wedding Crashers, he was a struggling actor who began his career on stage and television. Cooper had small appearances in multiple TV shows and films before he got some attention with his recurring role in the sci-action series Alias.

The series was created by JJ Abrams and starred Jennifer Garner as an undercover CIA agent. Cooper plays her best friend in the show and was lauded for his performance in the first season. However, the actor soon started getting frustrated as he was not happy with the way he was being sidelined on the show. He tried to increase his presence by pitching ideas to Abrams but they never worked.

Cast of Alias

Cooper finally decided to quit the show as he was frustrated with how his character was sidelined in subsequent seasons. He spoke about his decision in an interview with GQ,

“I would only work three days a week. And then for the second season, I got even more sidelined. I was like, ‘Ugh.’ And then next thing you know, I was like, ‘I want to f***ing kill myself’. J.J. was like, ‘Okay.’ He probably would’ve fired me, anyway.”

Cooper almost quit acting after exiting from the show but was given a new lease of life when he was cast in Wedding Crashers. He then decided to continue at it.

Bradley Cooper And Jennifer Garner Share A Great Friendship

Bradley Cooper and Jennifer Garner in Alias

While the show Alias may have hurt his career initially, Bradley Cooper gained a life-long in Jennifer Garner when he starred in the show. Cooper has mentioned that he is grateful for Garner as she was a nurturing presence during his early days in Los Angeles. He said in an interview with OKMagazine,

“She was one of the first people I met when I stepped onto Los Angeles soil. And she was very maternal, even then. She wanted to take care of me and make sure I was okay all the time. The first time I saw her, I was in the production office when we were shooting the pilot, and this girl comes in, glowing.”

The two have shared a close friendship ever since, so much so that Garner mentioned that it was difficult to share scenes with Cooper as they would just goof around the whole time. She also mentioned that she would drag Cooper by the neck and bring him on set in case there ever was a reboot or reunion of Alias.