Community Corner

Bradley Cooper Attends 'Silver Linings Playbook' Screening At Walter Reed Bethesda

The screening of the Oscar-nominated film was organized by Bethesda group "Give an Hour," which provides free mental health services to military personnel.

Actor Bradley Cooper attended a screening of his new movie "Silver Linings Playbook" for U.S. military personnel at Bethesda's Walter Reed National Military Center Thursday evening, according to news reports.

In the movie, Cooper plays a man suffering from bipolar disorder. He's nominated for an Oscar for the role. The movie has racked up a total of eight Oscar nominations, including best picture.

The screening was organized by Bethesda-based non-profit "Give an Hour," which provides free mental health services to military personnel, Variety reported.

Find out what's happening in Bethesda-Chevy Chasewith free, real-time updates from Patch.

“We’re going to show it to about 50 guys, and do a Q and A afterwards," Cooper told Chris Matthews on Hardball. "That's the best part about this thing is that it's able to reach out and make people feel included. I can't wait to go."

Friday morning, Cooper is expected to attend a press conference at the Center for American Progress in Washington to discuss "how his recent film is making progress toward removing the stigma of mental illness," according to a CAP press release.

Find out what's happening in Bethesda-Chevy Chasewith free, real-time updates from Patch.

Cooper will be joined by former Rhode Island Rep. Patrick Kennedy, Andrew Sperling, director of federal legislative advocacy for the National Alliance on Mental Illness, and Bethesda's Dr. Barbara Van Dahlen, president and founder of Give an Hour.

Cooper, a Georgetown University alum, was spotted out and about in Georgetown before Thursday's screening, Georgetown Patch reported.


Get more local news delivered straight to your inbox. Sign up for free Patch newsletters and alerts.

We’ve removed the ability to reply as we work to make improvements. Learn more here