(This article originally ran during the 2009 Tribeca Film Festival.)

The 2009 Tribeca Film Festival's 32 jurors are at the top of their field in acting, directing, writing, journalism, and art. This fantastic group of people will decide the winning films in the World Narrative Feature Competition, the World Documentary Feature Competition, the Best New York Narrative Competition, the Best New York Documentary Competition, the Narrative Shorts, the Documentary and Student Shorts, and the Tribeca All Access Competition.

In an effort to get to know these artists a little better, we asked them to submit their answers to some questions about life, art, films, and inspiration. Next up? Actor Bradley Cooper and writer Gael Greene, who are judging the World Narrative Feature Competition and the Documentary and Student Shorts.
 

Bradley Cooper
Actor whose recent films include New York, I Love You, Yes Man, and He's Just Not That Into You.

Who are your heroes in real life?

Lincoln, Day-Lewis, Obama, my dog Samson, Thom Yorke, Amy Poehler.

What piece of art (film/book/music/what-have-you) do you recommend to your friends?

Lately I have recommended Katherine Dunn’s Geek Love, Richard Yates’ Revolutionary Road, Elia Kazan’s A Life, and Legs McNeil/Jennifer Osborne/Peter Pavia’s The Other Hollywood: The Uncensored Oral History of the Porn Film Industry.

What would your biopic be called?

Who Knew.

Are there any movies that you find yourself quoting all the time?

All of Lieutenant Kilgore’s dialogue from Apocalypse Now, the alien's dialogue in the first Predator, everyone in This Is Spinal Tap and Scent of a Woman.

What's your earliest memory of seeing (and loving) a movie in the theater?

Stand By Me—there were train tracks in our backyard where I grew up. Just past the tracks was a shopping mall with a movie theatre. I remember when Richard Dreyfuss speaks about River Phoenix's character being shot during a bank robbery and his image disappearing on screen—I walked along the tracks afterwards recalling that image in my mind for what seemed like forever.
 

Gael Greene
Renowned food critic, author & cofounder of Citymeals-on-Wheels.

Who are your heroes in real life?  

Gloria Steinem, Oprah Winfrey, Barbara Walters, Barbie.

What piece of art (film/book/music/what-have-you) do you recommend to your friends?

Dinner at Le Bernardin. Marcella Hazan's The Essentials of Italian Cooking. Dylan's Highway 61 Revisited.

What would your biopic be called?  

Insatiable And That Afternoon With Elvis.

Are there any movies that you find yourself quoting all the time?

"Tomorrow at Tara." "We'll always have Paris."

What's your earliest memory of seeing (and loving) a movie in the theater?

Pinocchio, Gone With The Wind.

With what movie character do you identify most?

Rosalind Russell in His Girl Friday. Uma Thurman in Kill Bill.

What gets you up and going in the morning?

Daylight. The alarm. Breakfast. The New York Times.

What's your life philosophy or motto?

Carpe Diem. I'll have a little bit more, please.

What's your chief characteristic?

Enthusiasm. Empathy.

Tell us about one of the best meals you've ever had.

Go to my website: InsatiableCritic.com. Click on Vintage for many great meals, or click on Favorites to read The Preposterous Palace.

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