Will Arnett Reveals the Secret to Working Smoothly with Bradley Cooper

Will Arnett is opening up about what it’s really like collaborating with his longtime friend Bradley Cooper on their upcoming film Is This Thing On? — and according to the actor, their bond behind the scenes made the creative process not only easier but deeply rewarding.

A Friendship Turned Creative Partnership

The Arrested Development star spoke exclusively with People during the 2025 GQ Men of the Year celebration in Los Angeles on Nov. 13, where he reflected on his decades-long friendship with Cooper and how it shaped their collaboration.

“Because we do have that longtime friendship, we could really rely on each other and be really honest with each other,” Arnett shared.

The pair co-wrote Is This Thing On? with Mark Chappell, and the film — which Cooper also directed — follows a stand-up comedian grappling with middle age, self-doubt, and a collapsing marriage. The project marks the first time Arnett has acted in a movie directed by Cooper, and their off-screen connection helped bring emotional authenticity to the story.

“It Was All Positive”

Arnett, 55, admitted he initially worried about potential creative clashes with his close friend, but their collaboration turned out to be seamless.

“You could run the risk of worrying that you might not see eye to eye — or that you’d have those difficult moments — and we just never did,” he said. “Everything that we did just fell into the positive category, which was amazing, and it made it so much easier to work on something that was really intensely emotional.”

Arnett added that mutual respect and shared vision were the foundation of their partnership.

“We just respect each other. And if there are moments where we don’t, we always seem to come to some kind of agreement. We never end it badly on opposing sides.”

The actor attended the event with his girlfriend Carolyn Murphy, looking relaxed and proud ahead of the film’s theatrical release.

From Neighbors to Co-Writers

Arnett and Cooper’s friendship goes back more than two decades. The two first met in a New York City bar early in their careers and later became neighbors in Los Angeles.

“I first met him at a bar here in New York with friends, and we instantly hit it off and became pals,” Arnett recalled during the Is This Thing On? world premiere at the New York Film Festival in October. “Then we were living in California, and I was looking for a place to stay, and he said, ‘Oh, my neighbor’s moving out of this back building that we shared.’ ”

Arnett moved in next door, and their friendship deepened through years of personal and professional growth. Cooper, who has since directed acclaimed films like A Star Is Born and Maestro, invited Arnett to join him in crafting this latest project — a move the comedian describes as “surreal.”

“The thrill of it and the novelty has not worn off,” Arnett said of working under Cooper’s direction.

A Star-Studded Cast and Emotional Story

The upcoming Searchlight Pictures release features an impressive ensemble including Andra Day, Christine Ebersole, Ciarán Hinds, Sean Hayes, Amy Sedaris, Scott Icenogle, and even former NFL quarterback Peyton Manning.

The comedy-drama explores vulnerability, friendship, and artistic reinvention — themes both Cooper and Arnett have lived through personally as they’ve evolved in Hollywood.

Arnett said that Cooper’s dual role as director and co-writer brought out the film’s raw emotional honesty.

“He’s one of those people who always brings everything he has to a project,” he told People. “And that passion is contagious.”

A Decades-Long Bond That Still Inspires

Their easy dynamic mirrors the film’s deeper message about trust and creative connection. Both men have weathered personal and professional challenges, but they’ve maintained a steady respect for each other’s craft — something Arnett calls the “key ingredient” to their success.

“It’s funny,” he added with a smile, “we’ve known each other so long that it doesn’t even feel like work when we’re together. It feels like play.”

Is This Thing On? — directed by Bradley Cooper and co-written with Will Arnett and Mark Chappell — hits theaters December 19, 2025.

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