Several plastic surgeons weighed in on the heated debate surrounding plastic surgery rumors about Bradley Cooper following his latest public appearance.
The 50-year-old actor and his 30-year-old supermodel girlfriend, Gigi Hadid, stepped out together after her Vogue cover party on September 14.
Cooper was quickly slammed for resembling fellow actor Charlie Sheen, leaving several fans utterly confused.
“Not wearing my glasses and totally thought he was Charlie Sheen in the first photo,” wrote one user on social media.
Plastic surgeons shared their opinions on whether Bradley Cooper has recently undergone cosmetic work
The star couple arrived hand-in-hand at Monsieur, Baz Luhrmann’s East Village bar in New York City, to celebrate Hadid’s latest achievement.
The model graced the cover of US Vogue’s October issue, marking her second cover for the publication this year.
Gigi stunned in a sparkling, colorful floor-length Miu Miu dress featuring spaghetti straps, a scooped neckline, and patchwork detailing throughout.
Bradley opted for a muted color palette, wearing a plain satin navy blue shirt, loose black trousers, and charcoal suede boots.
The duo’s photos quickly went viral, sparking rumors that Cooper had gone under the knife.
“Definitely had some work done!” expressed one suspicious netizen.
The 50-year-old star stepped out for a celebratory dinner date with girlfriend Gigi Hadid, who has graced the cover of Vogue twice this year
Amidst the growing speculation, Dr. Rian Maercks, the founder of The Maercks Institute, analyzed Cooper’s now-viral photos.
According to him, the A Star Is Born actor may have undergone facelift work to achieve a “firm jawline.”
Highlighting a visible contrast between Cooper’s “jawline and neck,” Dr. Maercks told Daily Mail, “Bradley Cooper appears to show midfacial descent – the natural downward migration of tissues in the central face as we lose the ligamentous support that once held them.”
“The result is a visual disconnect: a firm jawline and neck juxtaposed against a central face that continues to descend.”
The surgeon suggested this visual “imbalance” may explain why fans are comparing him to 60-year-old Charlie Sheen, who has a similar facial structure.
He also noted that Cooper’s altered appearance could be the result of “one of the most common pitfalls” of facelifts, that “emphasize lateral dissection while neglecting the true foundation of facial aging: the central facial ligaments.”
Netizens compared Bradley to Charlie Sheen due to similarities in their facial structure, noting his “firm jawline” paired with a descending “central face”
“Instead of rejuvenating, they can exaggerate heaviness or create a caricature-like resemblance, which is perhaps why some fans are making comparisons.”
Dr. Maercks concluded by emphasizing that to achieve a “timeless” look, the focus should be on “supporting the deeper ligamentous architecture of the face, not just pulling at the edges or layering on filler.”
However, Beverly Hills–based plastic surgeon Dr. John Diaz disagreed with the plastic surgery speculation.
According to him, the recent changes in Bradley’s physical features “are due to the normal aging process.”
He told Daily Mail, “There is loss of volume below his eyelid and cheekbone, which causes hollowness and shadowing… and makes him look different than before. There is also some descent of the tip of the nose, thinning of the lips, and loss of upper lip projection, which also all happens with aging.”
According to plastic surgeon Dr. John Diaz, Cooper’s changed appearance is due to the “normal aging process”
Although Dr. Diaz denied the 12-time Oscar nominee had undergone plastic surgery, he added that the actor “may have had Botox injected too low on his forehead.”
“I do not see anything that suggests he has had fillers or surgery of the face.”
Dr. Diaz explained that he had compared Bradley’s “recent photos” to “multiple photos taken from different time periods,” concluding that “the differences we are seeing are due to the normal aging process.”
However, netizens remained convinced that The Hangover star had gotten some work done, claiming he looked like “a new person” entirely.
One fan commented, “that cannot possibly be Bradley,” while another wrote, “Charlie Sheen rebirthed.”
“What did he do to himself!!!!!!” questioned one displeased user.
“He looks like Zac Efron.”
Bradley has a two-decade age gap with his supermodel girlfriend, whom he has been dating since October 2023
Bradley and Gigi, who first started privately dating in October 2023, went public with their relationship in May of this year.
While celebrating Hadid’s 30th birthday, she posted a photo with Cooper on Instagram for the first time, where the lovebirds shared a kiss beside her birthday cake.
With Gigi being 30 and Cooper 50, the two have an age gap of over 20 years.
Citing their age difference, one netizen mockingly shared a theory as to why Cooper’s face looked different during the couple’s date night outing.
The user named Simone Hodgson wrote online, “Ha that’s what happens when u date a teenager.”
“Dating a woman 20 years younger will make any man get “work” done, especially if he’s a celebrity.”
“Why, just why? Was such a handsome man!!! I hardly recognized him now,” expressed one social media user
