KEY POINTS

  • Bradley Cooper revealed he was held at knifepoint on a New York City subway in 2019 while on his way to pick up his daughter
  • He said he had his headphones on and was listening to music at the time so the "whole thing was scored"
  • The actor said he was not injured during the encounter and kept the incident to himself

Bradley Cooper is opening up about a traumatic experience in New York City where he was held at knifepoint.

The "A Star Is Born" actor, 46, recently revealed that he was held at knifepoint on a New York City subway in October 2019 while on his way to pick up his daughter Lea De Seine from Russian school.

"I got held up at knifepoint," Cooper said during an appearance on Dax Shepard's "Armchair Expert" podcast Monday. "It was pretty insane. I realized I had gotten way, way too comfortable in the city. My guard was down."

The "Hangover" star recalled that he felt somebody coming up to him "at the end of the subway." While he initially thought that it was a fan who wanted to take a photo with him, Cooper said he quickly realized the encounter wasn't friendly.

"I'm up against the post like it's the 'French Connection' or some s–t, and I turned. I looked down and I see a knife," he shared, before recounting that the knife was nearly 3 inches long and looked like it had "some history" behind it.

Cooper said he had headphones on at the time and couldn't hear anything from the male assailant. "I'm just listening to music. ... The whole thing was scored," he explained with a laugh. "I can't remember [what I was listening to]. I look up, I see the person's eyes, and I’m taken by how young they are."

Despite being taught to never run if approached by someone with a weapon, the actor knocked the suspect's arm up with his own elbow and started running toward the exit.

He remembered jumping over the turnstile, hiding around the entrance to the subway and taking his phone out. Cooper said he took a photo of the suspect before chasing the other man up the stairs.

The eight-time Oscar nominee said he took two more photos of the suspect when the latter started running up 7th Avenue.

Cooper shared that he then flagged down two police officers in an SUV for help and showed the cops the pictures he took.

The actor said the officers asked him to "check to see if [he was] stabbed," explaining that people who get stabbed during such encounters don't realize it at first because they're "in shock."

Cooper said he was unharmed and returned to the subway to finish his trip and pick up his daughter. "It was crazy," he said.

The "Silver Linings Playbook" actor said he kept the incident to himself.

"How are we best friends and I'm just learning you got held up?" Shepard said, to which Cooper replied, "I never told you that."

A spokesperson for the New York City Police Department confirmed to Page Six that there was no complaint by Cooper on their records.

Cooper shares his 4-year-old daughter Lea with his ex Irina Shayk. They dated for four years before splitting in 2019.

Bradley Cooper
NEW YORK, NEW YORK - JANUARY 08: Bradley Cooper speaks onstage during The National Board of Review Annual Awards Gala at Cipriani 42nd Street on January 08, 2020 in New York City. Kevin Mazur/Getty Images for National Board of Review