Lady Gaga has described Bradley Cooper as a “true friend and artistic genius” as she reflected on their hotly-discussed duet at the Oscars.
The pair performed an intense rendition of Shallow from their hit film A Star Is Born at the glamorous ceremony in Hollywood on Sunday night.
It was hailed by many as one of the most memorable moments of the 91st Academy Awards, with viewers praising their “undeniable” chemistry.
But some were left feeling “uncomfortable” for Cooper’s girlfriend Irina Shayk who was in the front row for the performance.
Gaga took to Instagram on Tuesday morning to reflect on the duet, but did not address speculation over her and Cooper’s relationship.
She wrote: “Nothing could be more special than sharing this moment at the Oscars with a true friend and artistic genius.”
Alongside the message she shared an image of the pair during the performance which received hundreds of thousands of likes within minutes.
During the rendition, Gaga, who played upcoming pop star Ally in the movie, was seated at a piano while Cooper, who portrayed ageing rocker Jackson, sat opposite her.
Midway through the song, Cooper moved alongside her and they spent much of the performance staring intensely into each other's eyes before resting their heads together.
Spice Girl Mel B was among viewers who said she was left feeling “uncomfortable” for Cooper’s girlfriend, who he shares a one-year-old daughter with.
“There’s a woman’s code,” she said. “Hopefully it’s only professional this.”
Piers Morgan was also among stars to question their friendship, tweeting: “Are we 100% certain these two are just good friends...?”
Gaga and her musical collaborators Mark Ronson, Anthony Rossomando and Andrew Wyatt went on to pick up the Best Original Song Oscar for the track.
