Bradley Cooper ''idolised'' his late father Charles Cooper.

The 45-year-old actor was left heartbroken in January 2011 when his beloved parent passed away, and he has always made it his aim in life to honour his father by taking ''whatever progress he made to the next level''.

He told Australia's TV Soap magazine: ''I was a hard-working kid.

''I always knew where I came from, and I idolised my father and what he achieved.

''I felt, from a really early stage, a real need to take whatever progress he had made to the next level.

''I didn't really know what that meant, but I always had a huge engine inside, a real work ethic.''

The 'Burnt' star previously opened up about how his life ''changed'' the moment he watched his father die in his arms.

Although it usually takes a while for a devastating loss like that to hit home for a lot of people, he felt it ''instantaneously.''

He said: ''It's a new reality. Everything, everything. It's not even one thing, it's a whole new world.

''And it was instantaneous. It wasn't like, months later. It was like, his last exhale, and I was holding him, and it was like, everything changed.''

Around the time of his father's death, Bradley was approached for 'A Star is Born' - which had Clint Eastwood as director at the time - but he snubbed the opportunity because he didn't feel he was ''weathered'' enough at 36 to play Jackson Maine.

However, four years later, the 'Hangover' hunk felt he had enough life experience to do the role justice and not only did he star alongside Lady Gaga - who portrayed his lover Ally - but he also made his directorial debut and co-wrote the script.

He explained: ''Honestly, I could see it on my face. I just felt it [was right to do].''

Back in 2016, Bradley gave a speech at the Parker Institute for Cancer Immunotherapy launch in which he said it was ''overwhelming'' caring for Charles.

He said at the time: ''I can't even imagine how much more difficult it is for those patients and the families that are less fortunate than I was that simply can't afford to pay for both treatment and rent.''