Jenkintown native and actor, director Bradley Cooper is no stranger to diving deep into the roles he plays on the silver screen, but his portrayal of the musical legend Leonard Bernstein in “Maestro” took years of preparation, writes Javier C. Hernández for The New York Times.

Bernstein led the New York Philharmonic from 1958 to 1969 and was known for his exuberant style and his ability to hold an audience in thrall. He is considered the most influential American maestro of the 20^th century.

Cooper rolled up his sleeves though and did the hard work to not only learn how to conduct, but also to capture the essence of Bernstein.

To do this, he asked the help of the New York Philharmonic.

“You could see that he was watching with a very special eye,” Jaap van Zweden, the Philharmonic’s music director, said.

“He wanted to get into Bernstein’s soul.”

Cooper not only attended concerts and rehearsals, but also explored the orchestra’s archives so he could study Bernstein’s scores and batons.

He also spent time with other top maestros besides van Zweden such as Michael Tilson Thomas of the San Francisco Symphony, and Gustavo Dudamel of the Los Angeles Philharmonic.

He even visited Bernstein’s grave with Philharmonic staff members.

Read more about Bradley Cooper’s transformation into Leonard Bernstein for “Maestro” in The New York Times.

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Watch the magic of Bernstein.