'This entire experience was life-changing': Lady Gaga on making A Star is Born

When Bradley Cooper and Lady Gaga started work on A Star is Born, they made a deal and shook hands on it.

"He said to me: 'You are an actress'and I said to him 'You are a musician.' We made that exchange," the pop singer recounted about her Oscar-nominated co-star.

The film, screening at the Toronto International Film Festival, marks Lady Gaga's first time playing a leading role. Cooper co-stars, playing a fading singer.

"I don't know that I've ever had a closer artistic friendship with someone as I do with Bradley," multiple Grammy-winner Gaga declared in Toronto on Sunday, during a TIFF press conference for the film.

"This entire experience was life-changing.I have never had an artistic experience like this before."

In the following video, Lady Gaga explains how some leftover pasta and a CCR duet helped igniteher collaboration with Bradley Cooper forA Star is Born.

How pasta leftovers and a CCR duet ignited Bradley Cooper and Lady Gaga's collaboration on A Star is Born

6 years ago

Duration 1:28

At TIFF, the pop superstar recalls the 'instantaneous' connection she felt during her first time meeting and singing with her director and co-star Bradley Cooper.

Music is not simply the backdrop to A Star is Born it's another character in the bittersweet romance, said Cooper, whois receiving widespread accolades and early Oscar buzz for the drama.

It'shisdirectorial debut and Hollywood's third remake of the tale about a fading superstar being eclipsed by his up-and-coming protg.

Cooper, an avid music fan and Metallica devotee who spent years developing the film, performs his own vocalsand learned guitar and piano for A Star is Born. Along with co-writing the script, he also helpedwrite some of the movie's"arsenal of music."

In fact, just 10 minutes after Cooper met Gaga, they were singing together, he recalled.

While the public might be familiar with her onstage persona, Cooper singled out Gaga's "masterful ability to cultivate talent" behind the scenes and said she gave him the confidence to sing for himself.

It's one thing to sing in the shower. It's another thing to sing in front of 20,000 people.- Bradley Cooper

Gaga referred to by her real nameStefani(Germanotta) by her co-stars also created "harmony" with all of the other songwriters who wrote for the movie, including Jason Isbell, Mark Ronson and Lukas Nelson. She kept the bar high, music-wise, Cooper said.

"It all had to be up to her level... Stefani was very adamant about it," he explained, in discussingA Star is Born's live performances.

"It's one thing to sing in the shower. It's another thing to sing in front of 20,000 people."

The electrifying concert scenes were ultimately shot onstage at major music festivals such as Coachella, Stagecoach andGlastonbury, Cooper said, with artists such as Gaga herself, Jamey Johnson, Willie Nelson and Kris Kristofferson (star of the 1976 version of A Star is Born) giving some of their set timeto the movie shoot.

'Actors having a jam session'

Gaga and the rest of the cast including Sam Elliott, Dave Chappelle and Anthony Ramos had nothing but praise for the collegial environment Cooper created on-set as a director and were unanimous about their trust in him.

"It almost felt like a jam section. It was actors having a jam session. There was a rhythm. It was what you call vibes. There were these palpable vibes," Chappellesaid.

"Everyone really liked each otherin the script they are supposed to like each otherbut it became real. It was a very unique experience."

Bradley Cooper explains how musician friends, Bruce Springsteen's memoir and co-star Sam Elliott helped him build his country-rockstar persona in A Star is Born.

'This guy had to be very different from me:' Bradley Cooper on creating a singular voice for A Star is Born

6 years ago

Duration 0:54

Speaking at TIFF, the actor-turned-director shares how musician friends, Springsteen's memoir and co-star Sam Elliott influenced his country-rock star character Jackson Maine.

Though Cooper is best known for his roles on screen (Silver Linings Playbook, The Hangover, TV's Alias) and stage (The Elephant Man), he also served as a producer (as well as star) of the film American Sniper. Now,A Star is Born has whet his appetite for directing.

"If I have an opportunity... yeah, that's all I'd like to do," he said in Toronto.

"I've never been more fulfilled than in this process. The hardest thing was knowing that all the people on this couch trusted me. The fact that they gave their blind trust to me was terrifying and motivating."