Bradley Cooper admits he struggled with fatherhood initially but bonded deeply with daughter Lea after eight months.

Bradley Cooper has opened up about his emotional journey into fatherhood, revealing that he struggled to bond with his daughter, Lea, in the early months of her life. Speaking candidly on the Armchair Expert with Dax Shepard podcast, the 50-year-old actor shared that, for the first eight months, he couldn’t comprehend why parents spoke so passionately about the intense love they felt for their children.

“I didn’t even know if I loved the kid,” Cooper admitted, recalling those first few months with his daughter, whom he shares with his ex-partner Irina Shayk. “It’s cool, I’m watching this thing morph, fascinated by it, and I love taking care of it. But would I die for it? I don’t know,” he reflected, highlighting how distant he felt in the initial stages of fatherhood.

Despite the overwhelming joy of having a child, Cooper confessed that the profound emotional connection many parents speak of didn’t click for him right away. He explained, “The first eight months, I don’t even know if I really love the kid.” It wasn’t until Lea reached eight months old that Cooper experienced a shift in his feelings. “And then all of a sudden, it’s like no question,” he said, a light in his voice as he described the transformative moment when his bond with his daughter became undeniable.

The actor, best known for his roles in American Sniper and A Star Is Born, reflected on the complexities of fatherhood, including the challenges of understanding the unconditional love that many parents express for their children.

This honest admission sheds light on the sometimes complex, gradual process of forming a deep emotional connection with a child, as even someone as celebrated as Cooper experienced his own struggles in the early stages of fatherhood.

Since then, Cooper’s relationship with his six-year-old daughter has blossomed into one of the most meaningful aspects of his life. Despite the early hurdles, the actor now describes the bond as unbreakable. His willingness to be open about the challenges he faced offers a refreshing perspective on parenthood, encouraging other parents to embrace the complexities of their own journeys.