HARRISBURG, Pa. — The Pennsylvania Chamber of Business and Industry announced that Oscar-nominated actor Bradley Cooper will headline the 39th annual Pa. Chamber Dinner.
The dinner, a "Celebration of Pennsylvania" will be held on Monday, Oct. 2 at the Hershey Lodge and will feature a fireside chat with the actor, director, writer, and producer, who was born and raised outside of Philadelphia.
“As the Pennsylvania Chamber strives to showcase what sets our state apart and attract top talent to market the Commonwealth, Bradley Cooper stands out as one of the most well-known and respected Pennsylvanians and entertainers in the world," said PA Chamber President and CEO Luke Bernstein.
"We are thrilled to have the opportunity to chat with him about his ongoing connections to his home state, his incredible film career and lessons in leadership, his love for Pa. sports teams like the Philadelphia Eagles, and how we can all work together to elevate Pennsylvania on the national and global stage,” he continued.
Cooper, a nine-time Oscar nominee, is currently in production on "Maestro," a story he co-wrote and is directing, producing, and starring in.
He can be heard as the voice of “Rocket Raccoon” in "Thor: Love and Thunder" and "Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3." Additional film credits include Oscar-nominated films "American Sniper," "American Hustle," and "Silver Linings Playbook," among plenty of other credits.
Cooper made his directorial debut with the Oscar-nominated film "A Star is Born," which he co-wrote, produced, and starred in. The film was nominated for eight Academy Awards.
Cooper graduated with honors in the English program at Georgetown University. After moving to New York City, he obtained his Masters in the Fine Arts program at the Actors Studio Drama School.
Following the conversation with Cooper, and for the first time in PA Chamber Dinner history, the program will include a musical performance by another Pennsylvania native – award-winning and multi-platinum recording artist Gabby Barrett, who was born and raised in the Pittsburgh area.
“Gabby Barrett hails from western Pennsylvania, and from her breakout appearance on "American Idol" to the steady stream of top hits she’s released since, there’s no doubt that she is one of the fastest rising stars in the country,” Bernstein said. “We can’t wait to have her launch our dinner’s inaugural musical performance and showcase Pennsylvania’s incredible homegrown talent. This is an event no one will want to miss!”
Barrett first skyrocketed to stardom with her record-breaking, No. 1, seven-times platinum debut, “I Hope,” which ruled the Billboard Hot Country Songs chart for 27 weeks. She has followed the success with massive singles such as three-times platinum, three-week number-one “The Good Ones” and platinum “Pick Me Up.”
A powerhouse entertainer, Barrett will return to the road this summer on select dates with Kane Brown.
