Bradley Cooper and Irina Shayk's Relationship, As Told by People Magazine Headlines
Celebrities
Illustration: Elena Scotti
With the dissolution of Bradley Cooper and Irina Shayk’s relationship, Jezebel has created an oral history of their brief, four-year relationship, as told by People headlines. Because of course we would!
Bradley Cooper and Irina Shayk Heat Up in N.Y.C. (May 06, 2015)
Their relationship began with a date to Finding Neverland in April 2015 and later continued with a date to Hamilton in May. The following Monday, they “continued their love fest” at Rihanna’s Met Ball afterparty. They sat with Kendall Jenner and Gigi Hadid, and “walked around and pretty much any time they got to a spot where it was very dark, they started kissing.”
At the time, Bradley Cooper was 40 and Irina Shayk was 29. He’d just split with a 23-year-old Suki Waterhouse.
Bradley Cooper and Irina Shayk Share a Kiss in London (May 11, 2015)
Their “hot summer romance” continued with a trip to London just weeks after their first date. He was in town for the premiere of a movie called The Elephant Man. As sources claimed at the time, he wore a baseball cap “pulled down low” and shared a “sweet kiss goodbye” when dropping her off at a hotel.
Irina Shayk Gets Dolled Up to Watch Bradley Cooper in The Elephant Manin London (May 27, 2015)
The very first line of this reads: “Bradley Cooper not only has found a new love in Irina Shayk, but also a big fan!” She wore a “blush, chiffon Atelier Versace gown, paired with a slick updo and scrappy heels.” Bradley Cooper is referred to as the star of Aloha. He wore an almost-white Dolce & Gabbana suit.
After the premiere, they stopped by celebrity hotspot Chiltern Firehouse, where Cooper was photographed alone with Joan Collins and Anna Wintour. I left People’s spacing error in the headline as dramatic foreshadowing.
See Bradley Cooper and Irina Shayk Share a Sizzling Smooch – Again! – During Their Italian Holiday (August 14, 2015)
and
Bradley Cooper and Irina Shayk Continue Their Sexy Getaway with Kisses in Capri (August 24)
They spent the summer trawling the Amalfi coastline. They kissed on every conceivable surface. Imagine all that sand! He wore lots of trucker hats and she brought three luggage trunks of bikinis. They eventually moved their Wet Hot Amalfi Summer to Capri.
From the Italian Seas to the Jersey Shore: Bradley Cooper Ends His Summer with Stateside Getaway (September 07, 2015)
and
Bradley Cooper and Irina Shayk Spend Holiday Weekend with His Mom – as Sweet Couple Flash PDA During Jersey Shore Getaway (September 08, 2015)
Nothing ends a luxurious Italian summer like a trip to Jersey! The actor “chowed down on a Philly cheesesteak” while “posing for photos with the employees at Bob’s Grill on the Ocean City boardwalk.” Strangely, Irina Shayk was in every headline but absent in the many aggregated social media posts.
Getting Chummy! Irina Shayk and Bradley Cooper’s Mom Team Up for Friendly Dog Walk (September 14, 2015)
It would make sense that after summering on a yacht, you’d like to bring your new fling home to mom! The description of this dog walk as “friendly” and “chummy” is more menacing than anything, but at least there are photos of Cooper’s dog Charlotte!
Bradley Cooper and Irina Shayk Prove They’re Very Much Together During PDA-Filled Date Night in NYC (February 02, 2016)
At this point, proving their love to an unenthusiastic press is a recurring trope in the lifespan of their relationship. The first sentence reads: “Bradley Cooper and Irina Shayk are going strong.” That’s because, in the time between their New Jersey getaway and now, the pair had only one headline on People.com: Bradley Cooper and Irina Shayk Keep Things Hot on a Chilly Day with Sweet PDA
What had changed between then and now? Neither had big projects in the works! Remember: Their relationship, and much of the early press around it, were tied to his starring role in The Elephant Man. Now, the next press blitz begins with the start of the new fashion season. Interesting!
Bradley Cooper and Irina Shayk Share a Romantic Kiss During Night Out in Paris (March 09, 2016)
Their next headline, a month later, is L’Oreal spon. The pair were photographed in Paris at the Red Obsession Party, where they “packed on the PDA” while posing for photographers. He wore pinstripes and she was seen in an “elegant red gown with a plunging neckline.”
Irina Shayk Shares a Sexy Instagram Photo with Shirtless Bradley Cooper 1 Year After They Started Dating (April 09, 2016)
Here’s a deranged opening paragraph:
Irina Shayk shared a sultry photo on her Instagram Friday of herself and Bradley Cooper in the pool together, although their faces were just out of the frame. While their faces couldn’t be seen in the picture, a source confirms to PEOPLE that the mystery man is indeed Shayk’s boyfriend, Cooper.
I’ll include the post below.
Bradley Cooper Holds Hands with Girlfriend Irina Shayk and Her Mom at Beyoncé’s L.A. Concert (May 15, 2016)
I love that Bradley Cooper and Irina Shayk had at least one thing in common: Beyoncé! He also brought her mother, Olga Shaykhlislamov. In a dramatic twist, Shayk foreshadowed her looming future in a Facebook post: “Boy bye, I’m not thinkin bout u.. #FormationTour.”
Bradley Cooper and Irina Shayk Are All Smiles During Wimbledon Date (July 07, 2016)
In summary: They smiled and watched tennis.
Bradley Cooper and Irina Shayk Show Off Their Beach Bodies While on Vacation in Lake Garda (July 20, 2016)
Lake Garda is in Italy, signaling the return of their Wet Hot Amalfi Summer. Neither had any notable projects in the works, however, so this is the last time the pair would be written about until October.
Bradley Cooper and Irina Shayk Pose Together With Emma Stone and Woody Harrelson at Desert Trip Concert (October 18, 2016)
Having returned from Italy at an unknown time, the pair reemerged in Indio, California at the Desert Trip concert. They listened to Paul McCartney, Bob Dylan, and the Rolling Stones. Bradley Cooper wore many hats.
Bradley Cooper and Irina Shayk Expecting First Child (November 30, 2016)
Shortly after walking in the Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show, which aired days after this announcement, People reported that Irina Shayk was pregnant with Bradley Cooper. While they didn’t immediately return the requests for comment, I love this description of their relationship timeline: “[They] regularly step out together on exotic trips and at fun events.”
Are Bradley Cooper and Irina Shayk Engaged? Model Flaunts Flashy Ring on That Finger (December 15, 2016)
Two weeks pass, and the couple still haven’t commented on the pregnancy. Irina Shayk then proceeds to step out with a large emerald ring, encrusted with diamonds. It’s at this point that People explodes. Rumors of an engagement skyrocket, with the ring being compared to Princess Kate’s.
In all the paparazzi photos, Shayk keeps her hand across her chest where the ring would be most visible. Despite their refusal to comment, it’s pretty clear that the “leak” is arranged.
Bradley Cooper ‘Seems More Protective’ of Pregnant Irina Shayk: Source (December 07, 2016)
To quote People:
“He has been spotted dropping her off at the airport with kisses as she is about to take off for another job,” says the source. “They are just a very sweet couple.”
Bradley Cooper’s Bachelor Pad Is Not Quite Baby Ready: Source (December 08, 2016)
His massive Pacific Palisades mansion needed “extensive renovations to be safe enough for a child.”
Irina Shayk Flashes Her Emerald (Engagement?) Ring While Shopping in Beverly Hills (December 21, 2016)
The emerald “engagement” ring once again enters circulation. I even began to suspect it’d be the Chekhov’s gun of this story. The photos, which I recommend you look at, show Irina Shayk carefully holding Ralph Lauren shopping bags in a way that emphasizes the ring.
Bradley Cooper and Irina Shayk Share a Romantic Beach Picnic (February 14, 2017)
From People:
Both Cooper, 42, and Shayk, 31, were dressed casually, he in a grey t-shirt, black track pants and tennis shoes with half his hair pulled back in a mini-man bun; she was wearing a black t-shirt and black yoga pants, with a black sweatshirt tied around her growing baby bump.
His “mini-man bun” is an incredible relic of it’s time.
It’s a Girl! Bradley Cooper and Irina Shayk Welcome Daughter Lea De Seine (April 11, 2017)
Their daughter is eventually born. They name her Lea De Seine Shayk Cooper. It’s the first time the pair are mentioned as being together in headlines after seemingly spending “months apart.”
They still have not commented on the pregnancy, fueling rumors that she’d carried a ghost baby.
New Parents Bradley Cooper and Irina Shayk Go on an Tahitian Vacation with Anderson Cooper and Allison Williams (July 09, 2017)
Their next headline together post-baby is during their annual Wet Hot Summer, three months later. They yachted in Tahiti with an incredibly “diverse” group of people, including: Allison Williams and her husband, Anderson Cooper and his “studly partner,” Diane Von Furstenberg, and Andy Cohen. While I couldn’t find any mention of Cohen’s inclusion of a questionably aged undergrad, I won’t rule out the (very likely) possibility.
Imagine being on that boat!
Irina Shayk Attends Barcelona Bridal Week Sporting Emerald Engagement-Like Ring (April 23, 2018)
Return of the ring! This is the first headline the couple has shared since their Tahitian vacation. And, as I’m inclined to point out: notice that it’s appended to a headline about her recent fashion jobs. In fact, the “fashion job” in question is that of “consultant” to Pronovias Bridal.
My favorite moment of this journey has been the 300 photos of Irina Shayk posing with an “engagement ring” next to mannequins dressed in bridal gowns on a red carpet made of astroturf. I’ll leave you to decipher the symbology and subtext!
Bradley Cooper and Irina Shayk Walk First Major Red Carpet Together at Met Gala (May 07, 2018)
Can you believe that it took two years for this couple to walk a red carpet together? Interesting that it was in service of “fashion’s biggest night.”
Shirtless Bradley Cooper and Irina Shayk Enjoy a PDA-Filled Vacation in Italy (August 06, 2018)
Wet Hot Amalfi Summer, Part 3. Notice the consistently widening gaps in their press! Their third Italian getaway was a “welcome respite” from his directorial debut in A Star Is Born, claimed a source. With the premiere of ASIB looming, we’re about to enter Peak Content on their relationship status!
Irina Shayk, Who Has a Baby with Bradley Cooper, Says She Suffers From Mom Guilt ‘Every Day’ (November 02, 2018)
I screamed when I came across this headline, considering the three-month gap between headlines. People genuinely thought that their readers would have forgotten who she was!
Her absentee status in his rising star, however, was more than noticeable.
Bradley Cooper and Irina Shayk Make Rare Appearance Together at the Golden Globes (January 06, 2019)
and
Couple Goals! Irina Shayk Lovingly Fixes Bradley Cooper’s Bowtie at the Golden Globe Awards (January 06, 2019)
The self-aware deployment of “rare appearance” in the headline was a nice touch. At this point, awards season is in full swing and the pair are photographed across the Hollywood strip. From People:
This is the first time the couple hit the red carpet together during Cooper’s promo tour for the film which he starred in, directed and helped write the score for. The last time we saw them together at an event was the 2018 Met Gala in May, where they made their red carpet couple debut.
She also makes a point to fix his bow tie in front of every photographer in Los Angeles.
Bradley Cooper and Irina Shayk — in a Beret! — Step Out for National Board of Review Awards (January 09, 2019)
She wore a beret!
Irina Shayk Misses SAG Awards with Bradley Cooper Because of Modeling Job Abroad (January 27, 2019)
Isn’t it interesting that a fashion brand couldn’t change the date of their photoshoot for the girlfriend of the 2019 award season’s biggest leading man? And isn’t it even more interesting when you consider the fashion industry’s reliance on red carpets and exposure to celebrities to maintain profitability?
The job, a Marc Jacobs beauty event in Moscow, came almost a week after Couture Week in Paris.
Bradley Cooper Sweetly Thanks Irina Shayk for ‘Putting Up With Me’ While Making A Star Is Born (February 11, 2019)
The press quotes around them begin adopting an affectionate tone as rumors of their troubled relationship begin to rise. While giving a speech at the BAFTAs, Cooper said:
“Most of all I have to thank Irina, for putting up with me for all the music I was trying to make in our basement for a year,” he said. “Thank you very much. Thank you.”
That’s a lot of thank yous!
Bradley Cooper and Irina Shayk Are Super Flirty on the Oscars Red Carpet (February 24, 2019)
Super! Flirty!
Irina Shayk Says She’s ‘Happy’ Not Discussing Her Relationship with Bradley Cooper Publicly (February 25, 2019)
The first recorded instance of Irina Shayk speaking in People is a quote about not speaking:
“I have a lot of friends who share a lot of their personal life on Instagram or social media, very publicly. I admire it and I think it’s great – but I think it’s all about personal choice,” she tells Glamour UK in her new cover story. “Because my work requires me to be out there, I just decided my personal life will be quiet. That’s why it’s called personal, because it’s something for you and your family, and I feel happy with it.”
Bradley Cooper Has Been ‘All About Family’ After Steamy Oscars Performance with Lady Gaga (April 19, 2019)
and
Bradley Cooper and Irina Shayk Enjoy ‘Romantic’ Date Night: ‘They Flirted and Had a Great Time’ (April 19, 2019)
After the fizzling out of A Star Is Born’s strained awards season, People magazine is flooded with an unprecedented number of headlines concerning their affectionate relationship.
Bradley Cooper and Irina Shayk Split After 4 Years Together (June 06, 2019)
Two months after their brief, affectionate April, Bradley Cooper and Irina Shayk officially split. It comes as no surprise following a press cycle plagued with rumors of Bradley Cooper’s “love” for Lady Gaga, Irina Shayk’s absence at major award shows, and the lack of any big projects on the horizon.
Post-Breakup
In the week that follows, it’s revealed that they spent a lot of time apart and that the “Lady Gaga romance rumors didn’t help.” The most shocking detail to emerge amidst Shayk’s post-breakup Iceland escape, however, is not her poetic romp through glaciers and knitwear. It’s the revelation that Lady Gaga’s ex, Christian Carino, “liked” her Iceland-bound Instagram photos.
In the wake of this journey, I’m floored. The Chekhov’s gun was never the emerald engagement ring! It was Christian Carino!