Bradley Cooper Reflects on Attending His 30-Year High School Reunion in Philadelphia: ‘It Was Awesome’

You can take Bradley Cooper out of Philly, but he’ll always find his way back!

The Maestro star and director recently attended his 30th high school reunion, held at Chestnut Hill Brewing Company in Philadelphia, and opened up about the “awesome” experience on Tuesday’s episode The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon.

“I was early and I put a sign out front,” said Cooper, 48, continuing to call out his school: “It said ‘Germantown Academy.’ And then people came and I welcomed them and put my name tag on [on].”

“But when I was in high school, I was called Brad, and now I’m called Bradley,” he told host Jimmy Fallon. “I felt like I was some weird impostor, but that’s my real name, Bradley.”

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Bradley Cooper and Bucky Holmes.

Melissa Fikioris

Chris Evans surprised his former classmates at their 20-year high school reunion

The brewery itself took to social media on Nov. 28, sharing photos from the reunion, including one of Cooper sporting a big smile and, as noted, a “Bradley” name tag.

“Thank you @germantownacademy for hosting your class of 1993 with us! We were honored to host a special guest! You never know who you’ll run into in the Taproom!” the inscription read.

“That’s Bucky Holmes,” Cooper told Fallon, 49, of the man he was photographed with, hugging. “I was always so jealous of it [name]man.”

Asked by the host if anyone was “freaking out” given the actor’s current fame, Cooper said: “No. It was real – it was great.”

“It was easy. I think it was like time passed and it was great,” he added. “There was a guy [at a reunion] before … and he wasn’t cool, but he wasn’t there.”

Bradley Cooper on ‘The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon’ December 19, 2023

Todd Owyoung/NBC via Getty

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This isn’t the first time Cooper has reconnected with his classmates. He also went to a 25-year reunion, he told Fallon — and to mark their 20-year graduation in November 2013. Hangover star returned to his alma mater in nearby Fort Washington to meet up with friends from the Class of 1993 and visit with his favorite teachers.

“He returned to GA several times to talk to students,” a school official told PEOPLE at the time. “He likes to see his old teachers and enjoys reminiscing with them. When he says he will do something for the school, he does it. He is very supportive and proud to be a part of this school. So it was no surprise that he came to the gathering.”

During the last reunion, Cooper wandered the halls with his former history teacher Kendall Mattern and toured the new school buildings. Later that night, Cooper and his friend and classmate Brian Klugman attended a reunion party at MaGerk’s Pub & Grill, where they chatted with friends.

“He was definitely having a good time,” said one onlooker. “He went around and made sure he talked to everyone. He had fun catching up and hearing about their lives. There was a lot of laughter and jokes. He really liked to see everything.”

An observer added of Cooper: “He didn’t act like a movie star. Just a normal guy who was attractive and kind.”

Maestro now streaming on Netflix.

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Source: HIS Education