Lady Gaga become tearful as she helped honor her A Star Is Born director Bradley Cooper with the American Cinematheque Award on Thursday night.
The Oscar-nominated actor was chosen as the recipient of the annual honour, and on Thursday, he was presented with the award at the organization's gala at The Beverly Hilton hotel in Los Angeles after receiving rounds of praise from his co-stars.
Sam Elliott and Gaga, who starred alongside Bradley in his directorial debut, took to the stage to gush about him, and the singer became emotional.
"Sometimes you call me Gaga, but we both know you call me Stefani," Gaga, real name Stefani Germanotta, said. "I ran from Stefani for a long time. I put on a superhero cape and called myself Lady Gaga, and you challenged me to deep dive to a place where I had to see her again…I can call on you as a friend and cry and be myself and have you never, ever judge me. There is only one human being on the planet you remind me of, and that's (her frequent jazz collaborator) Tony Bennett."
Speakers also included Sean Penn, Samuel L. Jackson, Bradley's Silver Linings Playbook director David O. Russell, his Wedding Crashers co-star Vince Vaughn, The Hangover co-stars Zach Galifianakis and Ed Helms, The Elephant Man stage co-star Patricia Clarkson, and Alias colleague Jennifer Garner.
According to Deadline, the 13 Going on 30 star recalled how she was the first person the actor met when he came to Hollywood. She then compared him to a stray dog and added, "I took him home and made him dinner…I'm still making him dinner."
When it was his turn to take to the stage, Bradley, who had been moved to tears by some of the speeches, then thanked his parents, who he has "a lot of love" for, and everyone else for sticking around despite the "very long" night. He also praised the warmth in the room, adding, "That's what happens when love is shown to someone."
