Here is how the cast of Bradley Cooper's 'Maestro' compares to the real-life people they're playing

Bradley Cooper plays conductor Leonard Bernstein, the American composer behind "West Side Story," and the music director of the New York Philharmonic Orchestra.

"Guardians of the Galaxy," "Nightmare Alley," and "A Star is Born" actor Bradley Cooper plays Leonard Bernstein in "Maestro," and also directs the Netflix movie.

Bernstein is renowned for his work as a composer and a conductor, and he's perhaps best known for creating the music for Jerome Robbins' "West Side Story" alongside lyricist Stephen Sondheim. He also worked on the "Candide" musical at the same time with Lillian Hellman.

Netflix's "Maestro" focuses on Bernstein's relationship with his wife, Felicia Montealegre, over the course of their lives. Cooper wore a prosthetic nose to portray Bernstein, which drew criticism online, with many accusing the project of being an example of "Jewface."

However, the composer's children released a statement saying they approved of Cooper's use of a prosthetic, and praised him for how he was approaching the biopic of their father.

In December, Cooper recalled attending his daughter's graduation ceremony while looking like Bernstein because he was shooting "Maestro" nearby. 

Carey Mulligan stars as Bernstein's wife, actor and activist Felicia Montealegre.

Bernstein's wife, Felicia Montealegre, is played by British star Carey Mulligan, who has previously starred in "Drive," "The Great Gatsby," "She Said," and "Promising Young Woman."

Montealegre was a successful actor who appeared in numerous projects on TV in the late 1940s and 1950s such as "Flowers from a Stranger," "Of Human Bondage," and "The Wings of a Dove." 

Later, Montealegre founded an activist group called Another Mother for Peace, which aimed to provide information to women about the war in Vietnam.

Her relationship with Bernstein is the focus of "Maestro." Although the composer had affairs with men and women during their marriage, he and Montealegre stayed together until Montealegre died in 1978.

Comedian Sarah Silverman plays Shirley Bernstein, Leonard’s sister.

Comedian Sarah Silverman plays Leonard's sister, Shirley Bernstein, in "Maestro." She was a producer who worked on several TV shows like "The Big Surprise," "Down You Go," and "The Young Set."

Shirley is also credited as an associate producer on "The Third Secret," a thriller starring Stephen Boyd, Richard Attenborough, and Jack Hawkins.

Shirley was born in 1928 and died in 1998 aged 73 — eight years after Leonard died in 1990.

“Stranger Things” star Maya Hawke plays Bernstein’s daughter, Jamie.

Maya Hawke plays Leonard's daughter, Jamie Bernstein, in "Maestro."

Although the star has famous parents (Uma Thurman and Ethan Hawke), the actor is forging a career for herself with projects like "Stranger Things," "Do Revenge," and "Asteroid City."

Jamie Bernstein is an author and filmmaker who was inspired by growing up surrounded by her father's music. She has since narrated numerous orchestral performances around the world, and written concerts aimed at younger audiences about classic composers.

She even wrote a memoir about her father, and has discussed his work on numerous occasions, including in the run-up to Steven Spielberg's "West Side Story" movie.

She told ClassicFM that she wishes her father could have seen Spielberg's film.

"I also so wish that my father and Steven Spielberg could have met each other because they have a lot in common. They're both incredibly warm-hearted people," Bernstein said.

She added: "They love to reach out and communicate and make connections and they're really peas in a pod."

"Ugly Betty" alum Michael Urie plays Jerome Robbins, one of Bernstein's collaborators on "West Side Story."

"West Side Story" creator and actor Jerome Robbins is played by Michael Urie.

"Ugly Betty" fans will remember him as Marc St. James, the personal assistant to Wilhemina Slater (Vanessa Williams) at Mode magazine.

Apple TV+ subscribers can also see Urie in "Shrinking," opposite Jason Segel and Harrison Ford. 

Robbins also produced "Gypsy," "Peter Pan," and "Fiddler on the Roof" over the years, and won the Academy Award for best director for the 1961 cinematic adaptation of "West Side Story" alongside codirector Robert Wise.

Robbins continued to produce theatrical productions until shortly before he died in 1998, with "Les Noces" being his final show.

This article was originally published on August 23, 2023, and was most recently updated on December 20, 2023.