Pictures of Bradley Cooper on set on his new film American Sniper have been beginning to surface over the past few days (mainly pics of him and girlfriend Suki Waterhouse sharing a little PDA). American Sniper is the eagerly anticipated Clint Eastwood project that’s got everyone talking, based on the life of Navy SEAL, Chris Kyle.  Kyle has been credited with the highest recorded number of sniper kills for an American.

Bradley Cooper American Sniper Bradley Cooper has seriously buffed up for his role as Chris Kyle in American Sniper

The film will be based on Kyle's 2013 autobiography of the same name. Kyle claims in the autobiography that he killed over 150 people, although he will sadly not be around the see Eastwood’s film. He was tragically shot and killed by fellow military veteran Marine Eddie Ray Routh after he had taken the latter to the gun range to try and help with his post traumatic stress disorder. Routh turned his gun on Kyle and his companion Chad Littlefield.

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The film adaption of Kyle’s autobiography has been written by Jason Hall and two-time Academy Award nominee Bradley Cooper has been picked to play the role of Kyle himself. Sienna Miller has been cast as Kyle’s wife, Taya Renae Kyle. The film is also rumoured to include performances from real Navy SEALs and one of Kyle’s personal friends, Kevin ‘Dauber’ Lacz.

The film is sure to powerful going on just subject matter alone, but with Clint Eastwood at the helm we have high hopes for it being a serious Oscars contender. Cooper has come a long way as an actor since his Hangover days and has been nominated for two Academy Awards in recent years, once for his performance in Silver Linings Playbook and this year he earned a nomination for his role in American Hustle. He’s been taking on more serious roles and has come into his own as an actor, he’s gone through a sort of Matthew McConaughey transformation.

Bradley Cooper American SniperCooper was pictured getting up close and personal with girlfriend Suki Waterhouse on the set on American Sniper

We have a feeling that his performance in American Sniper will earn him his third Academy Award nomination, but will it be third time lucky and he’ll actually win this time? If we’re going on appearances alone surely his legs in those super short shorts he’s been donning in the on set pics should get him noticed by the Academy. The whole world has certainly noticed, that’s for sure! He’s buffed up a lot for the role, a good old body transformation is usually enough to land some sort of award, let’s hope his performance is a good as his legs!

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Click here to watch Bradley Cooper in the trailer for American Hustle.