Cooper's brilliant career

HOW DOES a talented, versatile actor cement his status as an A-list star? The upward trajectory of Bradley Cooper's career offers a few lessons.

* Start your movie career with indie credibility: Cooper had a role in 2001's "Wet Hot American Summer," a quirky comedy that's become a cult hit and included future stars Paul Rudd, Amy Poehler and Elizabeth Banks.

* Get a recurring role on a buzzworthy TV series: In the early 2000s, he played Will Tippin, a civilian pal of Jennifer Garner's international spy character on ABC's "Alias," the stylish action drama created by future "Star Trek" director J.J. Abrams. * Land a supporting part in a big-screen hit: As the smug boyfriend of Rachel McAdams, Cooper was a worthy adversary for love-struck Owen Wilson in 2005's "Wedding Crashers."

* Act on Broadway with a big-name superstar: Cooper played opposite Julia Roberts in 2006 in "Three Days of Rain," which also featured his "Wet Hot American Summer" co-star Rudd.

* Score a ginormous box-office hit: The actor vaulted into the big time wreaking comic havoc in 2009's Las Vegas bachelor-party getaway "The Hangover."

* Become a celebrity journalism favorite: The handsome Cooper has appeared on the cover of Us Weekly and was a People cover guy after being named the magazine's 2011 sexiest man alive.

* Look for Oscar-worthy material: His next movie, "Silver Linings Playbook," is already the subject of Oscar buzz. He plays a former psychiatric patient who moves back in with his parents in director David O. Russell's movie, which opens in November.