Fans predict Oscar win for Bradley Cooper after transforming into Leonard Bernstein

Fans are predicting that Bradley Cooper is going to win an Oscar for his transformation into Leonard Bernstein.

In a first look at the upcoming Netflix film Maestro fans can see Cooper as the legendary composer through various stages of his life.

With the use of prosthetics, Cooper has been aged dramatically and is largely unrecognisable as Bernstein.

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Also directed by Cooper, production on the film started in April and it is expected to be released on Netflix sometime next year.

Fans have been reacting to the pictures of Cooper online with one writing: "Right the wrong of the 2019 Oscars and give Bradley Cooper what he deserves."

Another wrote: "Bradley Cooper as Leonard Bernstein feels like it could finally win him the Oscar. Prosthetics check. Real Hollywood legend. Check."

One fan added: "Bradley Cooper already has two Grammys and it appears that he's really trying to finally get an Oscar win."

The Hangover actor took over the directing role from Steven Spielberg, something he described in an interview with Variety: "I [told Spielberg]: 'I always felt like I could play a conductor, but may I research the material and see if I can write it and direct it? Would you let me do that?'"

He added: "Steven has a lot of interests – he'll just choose one thing and all of the other things will be on hold. I think he knew he wasn't going to make that movie for a while. He was kind enough to hand it off to me, and that's what I've been doing for the last four and a half years."

Also starring in Maestro is Carey Mulligan as Bernstein's wife Felicia Montealegre and Jeremy Strong as art critic John Gruen.

Maestro will be Cooper's second directorial effort following 2016's A Star is Born which he starred in alongside Lady Gaga, Sam Elliott and Dave Chappelle.

The film was critically acclaimed and was nominated for eight Oscars but won just the one for Best Original Song.

A Star is Born's soundtrack was also a hit, selling over six million copies with 'Shallow' becoming one of the biggest selling songs of all time.

Cooper and Gaga performed the song together at the Oscars, winning acclaim. The clip of them performing is the most watched video on YouTube of the Academy Awards.

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