Bradley Cooper recalls being held up at knifepoint while picking up his daughter from school

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By Carina Murphy

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Bradley Cooper has spoken out about being held at knifepoint while picking his daughter up from school.

The American Sniper actor, 46, opened up about the incident during this week's episode of the Armchair Expert podcast, which is hosted by Cooper's close friend Dax Shepard.

He recalled how he was on his way to pick up his daughter Lea - who was 2 at the time - from a Russian school in October 2019 when the attack happened.

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Credit: Picture Capital / Alamy

Cooper was on the subway in New York City wearing noise-canceling headphones, sunglasses, and a hat, trying to be "incognito". In hindsight, he recalled how walking around the city like this was not always the safest way to travel.

"I realized I had gotten way, way too comfortable in the city. My guard was down," he said.

He then explained how he felt somebody coming up to him. Though he initially thought they wanted to take a photo, when he looked down he saw they were holding a knife.

"I remember thinking 'That's a nice knife,'" the actor joked, before recalling how the experience was almost cinematic.

"I had my headphones on the whole time so I can't hear anything. I'm just listening to music. It's scored, the whole thing is scored. I see the person's eyes. I'm taken by how young they are."

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Cooper and Irina Shayk in 2018. Credit: Newscom / Alamy

The Oscar nominee managed to knock the man's arm out of his way and make a break for it. "I just started running. I jumped over the turnstile, [and] hid around the white, tiled entrance to the subway," he added.

When his attacker starter running too, Cooper snapped some photos of him and then went and reported the incidents to some police officers outside the subway.

"Then I got back in the subway and picked up my daughter. It was crazy," he added.

Cooper shares his daughter - now four - with his ex, model Irina Shayk. The two split in 2019 after a four-year relationship, but continue to co-parent their daughter.

He also spoke on the podcast about his upcoming movie Nightmare Alley, directed by Guillermo del Toro. Nightmare Alley is cinemas on December 17.

Featured Image Credit: Roberto Ricciuti / Awakening / Alamy