He's just been nominated for a Best Actor Oscar for his captivating performance in Silver Linings Playbook but Bradley Cooper was once a regular joe soap like the rest of us. Having studied acting back in the days when oversized shirts and bleached out Backstreet Boy-esque hair were considered fashionable, Cooper was once nothing more than a passionate student.

Brought to our attention by the folk at Total Film, Cooper is an actor to have achieved that rare feat of once appearing on The Actor's Studio (as a student where he sought advice from one of his heroes, Sean Penn), and then appearing on the show for a second time, this time as a guest.

It's inspiring to see not only how far he's come but also to realise that Cooper's success wasn't a matter of mere luck, he's worked hard to hone his craft, taking very seriously the pearls of wisdom offered up by the likes of Penn. Now, this Sunday, he's off to go down in film history as one of the greatest actors of our generation, making the video included here, all the more awe-inspiring.