If there is one thing American actor Bradley Cooper didn't expect about Clint Eastwood's film American Sniper, it's that it would generate a lot of politically-charged conversation.
American Sniper is based on the book written by Chris Kyle, an ex-Navy SEAL considered as the most lethal sniper in US military history. Kyle had a reported 160 confirmed kills throughout his entire career and the number remains unprecedented to this day.
The film has been nominated for six Oscars including best picture, as well as one Best Actor nomination for Cooper. He starred in American Sniper together with actress Sienna Miller who played Taya Kyle, his wife.
"You never know when you make a movie if anybody's going to see it, so to have the audacity to think that it would cause any sort of effect at all would be pretty presumptuous," Cooper admitted to reporters during the Academy Awards nominees luncheon.
Liberals and conservatives have had several heated debates regarding the film, especially with regards to its portrayal of war and soldiers. They also clashed views with regards to Eastwood's interpretation of the history leading up to the 2003 Iraq invasion.
Moreover, the members of the American-Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee shared that they received several "violent threats" because of the film's offensive language directed at Muslims.
But Eastwood, who is a big supporter of veterans, insists that the movie has nothing to do with party politics, and stressed that he only wanted to highlight the hardships endured by soldiers and their families.
Cooper agreed with Eastwood and considered it amazing if people changed their perspectives and started talking about the lives of soldiers, and what a huge sacrifice they have given for the country.
"Any discussion that sheds light to the plight of the soldiers and the men and women in the armed services, for that discussion to occur is fantastic," echoed Cooper.
Kyle was killed by a disgruntled US veteran Eddie Ray Routh at a Texas gun range in 2013. Routh's mother sought Kyle's help since her son was suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).
"We said, 'I love you,' " Taya told PEOPLE about her last conversation with her husband. "I said, 'Is everything okay?' And he said, 'Yeah, I just need to get down there and get back.'"
His wife also describes him as a man who "had a huge heart and softness as well as strength. He was such a good dad."
