After being adapted three times for the big screen, no one expected that the fourth version of ‘A Star Is Born’ would have a lot to tell. The adaptation starring Bradley Cooper and Lady Gaga ended up exceeding all expectations but… how would it have been directed with Clint Eastwood and Beyoncé leading the cast?
From singer to singer
The idea of making a fourth remake of ‘A Star Is Born’ had been on the table since 2002: Will Smith was pulling strings to carry it out, with Jennifer Lopez as co-star. Finally, the project was left on paper and did not come to the fore again until 2011.
By then, Clint Eastwood was interested in assuming the direction of the new adaptation and, shortly after, it was confirmed that Beyoncé was chosen to play the title star. Regarding the masculine role, Eastwood commented with Leonardo Dicaprio (with whom he had already worked on ‘J.Edgar’) and the name of Christian balewithout getting to anything concrete.
Other candidates were Hugh Jackman, Johnny Depp, Tom Cruise, Russell Crowe, Eminem and even his own Bradley Cooper (with whom the director also coincided in ‘El francotirador’). Cooper initially turned down the role because he felt he “hadn’t lived long enough” to live up to the character’s demands.
The making of the film was delayed on several occasions, one of them due to the singer’s pregnancy. In 2012, Eastwood left him behind to go shoot ‘Jersey Boys’ and Beyoncé also ended up leaving due to scheduling problems.
Three years later, Bradley Cooper decided that he was ready for the character and to start directing. The original idea was to recover Beyoncé for the role of Ally but in the end it could not be. It was commented at the time that the singer asked for a very high number and the study decided to look for another candidate.
In 2016, Lady Gaga entered the movie as final replacement of the ‘Crazy in love’ singer. The also soloist was the definitive option to give life, together with Cooper, to that couple of singers that warmed our hearts in 2018.
The truth is that we will never know how that version would have been in the hands of Eastwood and Beyoncé, but surely their ‘Shallow’ would not have sounded the same. ‘A star is born’ is available in Spain through HBO Max.