Bradley Cooper has opened up about how he's struggled in his relationship with his six-year-old daughter.
The Maestro star's daughter Lea De Seine - who he shares with ex partner, model Irina Shayk - was born in March 2017.
But the 49-year-old has recently revealed he struggled in the first few months of becoming a father.
Appearing on Dax Shepard's Armchair Expert podcast - released on 26 February - Cooper admitted in the 'first eight months' after Lea was born, he didn't 'even know' if he 'really love[d] the kid'.
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The Silver Linings Playbook actor explained he found it 'dope' and 'cool' in 'watching this thing morph' but couldn't understand when other parents would say things like they would 'die in a second' for their child.
Cooper said: "That’s my experience. Fascinated by it. Loved taking care of it. But would I die if someone came in with a gun?"
However, after a few months, the actor noted his experience of being a father changed completely.
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"All of a sudden, it's like no question," he said.
Cooper added: "I’m not sure I’d be alive if I wasn’t a dad. I just needed someone to say, like, ‘We’re gonna drop this massive anchor'.
"I’m like, ‘Why? We’re speeding! I just got an upgrade on the boat, and I know where the wind’s coming in.’ They’re like, ‘No, no, no, there’s a tsunami coming in, and you need an anchor and we’re gonna drop it'.
"Because this is gonna dictate everything you do from now on. Your DNA is going to tell you that there’s something more important than you."
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People have since flocked to social media to weigh in on the actor's words.
Taking to X, some users have been left shocked by Cooper's revelation about his early relationship with his daughter.
One user said: "WTF," while a second added: "Bro is a lil TOO honest."
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Another wrote: "Not inditing him as a person, but I feel like he could have conveyed this point while not dehumanizing her with his language. Even if he no longer feels that way, you can say, 'I couldn't connect with my daughter at first' without calling her 'it' or a 'thing'."
However, others have quickly rushed to the actor's defence, noting he appears to be describing an experience of 'postnatal depression'.
A user wrote: "I'm no fan of Bradley Cooper but the guy's effectively describing postnatal depression and the same people who are all 'we need to talk about our feeeelings' are out there going 'Yeah, screw that solipsistic Hollywood male f**k'."
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"I thought the same, we can't say it's safe to share those kinds of feelings and then trample all over someone when they do," another echoed.
And a final resolved: "Most parents don't have the courage to admit this. Good for Mr. Cooper."
UNILAD has contacted Bradley Cooper's representatives for comment.
If you or someone you know is struggling or in crisis, help is available through Mental Health America. Call or text 988 to reach a 24-hour crisis center or you can webchat at 988lifeline.org. You can also reach the Crisis Text Line by texting MHA to 741741.
Topics: Bradley Cooper, Film and TV, Parenting, Mental Health, US News, Social Media, Twitter
Poppy Bilderbeck