“A Star is Born’s” Filipino-American cinematographer Matthew Libatique talked to Super about working with Bradley Cooper and Lady Gaga:
This is Bradley Cooper’s first project as a director. What was it like to work with him as the director?
What makes Bradley special is a tireless dedication to the story and to being genuine. These tenants come naturally to him and he worked hard to make sure the music was right, the performances, the camera were all in concert to create a reality that makes you feel the power and emotion of the love story we were trying to tell.
What was Lady Gaga like?
Like Bradley she is earnest and genuine. She is obviously an immensely talented musician, but until you here her sing when she is 3 feet away from you, you don’t feel the full effect of her magnetism. She blew me away daily and it always amazed me how much she is really like Ally.
The most impressive scenes were those huge concert scenes, which looked both epic and authentic. What was it like shooting those scenes?
It was a thrill every time we were on stage. Feeling the music loud through the monitors and feeling the energy of a rock ‘n’ roll crowd is something I will never forget. —RSDV