Team Cooper or Team Vartan?

It is funny where ideas for posts come from. I have a little book I keep in the kitchen when an Idea pops into my head. The other day when I was getting all my magazines and newspapers ready for recycling I noticed how often Bradley Cooper is popping up in the press these days. For some reason this had me wonder what Michael Vartan is thinking about all of the current attention Bradley is getting...



Back when both men were on Alias (another of those tv shows I never watched a minute of until I rented season 1 from blockbuster) I was certainly on team Cooper. I loved Cooper’s ‘Will’. I am one of those who frequently roots for the underdog and Will was often given the short end of the stick on the show with little storyline and eventually was written out. Vartan on the other hand was playing the love interest of Jennifer Garner and was certainly featured more heavily throughout the series. (BTW: I really am not a fan of Garner, but I have to give it to her with Alias. She won me over as Sydney).

Bradley Cooper:




There is something so appealing about both of these men. I would give the acting edge to Cooper who can seems to be able to carry off a larger range than Vartan. Maybe it is the characters he plays but Vartan seems to have one note for most of his characters and rarely stretches out of his safety zone. That being said there is something special about Vartan. Not only sexy as hell, he has a quality that explains why he gets so many of the ‘perfect boyfriend or husband’ roles. There is a decency about him which made him perfect for ‘One Hour Photo’. Vartan is like that perfect guy in high school whereas Cooper is like your funny best friend.

Below: Cooper in Kitchen Confidential and Nip/Tuck




Although I said I think Cooper is a better actor, I am not finding much special about the roles he is currently doing on screen. Although Hilarious in ‘The Hangover’ it was not a role that could not have been played by almost any decent actor. Both men are working steadily, Vartan in ‘Hawthorne’ and the upcoming ‘HighSchool’ with Adrien Brody. Cooper continues to rack up the big screen roles with ‘The A Team’ getting lots of buzz. (Not a movie I shall be rushing out to see). The thing is when I looked more closely at the attention Cooper is getting in the press only a small amount was for his work. Most concerned possible romances with Jennifer Aniston and Rene Zellweger


Michael Vartan




It is certainly clear that Cooper is currently getting most of the attention and bigger roles. Maybe this is fair, Cooper played second fiddle to Vartan most of the run of Alias. For me however I am firmly planted on team Vartan. It is of course the shallow part of me. I think Cooper, though good, could be interchanged with a slew of other actors for most of his roles. On the other hand, even in some of the worst movies, Vartan holds my interest.

So...Which Team are you on?

Below: Vartan's frequently 'capped' scene in One Hour Photo