Los Angeles, Dec 12 (IANS): Actor-filmmaker Bradley Cooper says he is a "bit of a control freak."

The 48-year-old actor said he felt "freedom" in knowing that if anything was wrong about his latest movie 'Maestro', which he wrote and directed, as well as portraying late musical legend Leonard Bernstein, it was all down to him, even though it was also a "huge burden".

Speaking to Emma Stone for Variety's Actors on Actors series, after the 'Poor Things' star noted it was "scary" to spend so much time preparing for a role, he replied: "I have felt that before in projects, and maybe that’s because … I’ve just recently realised that maybe I’m a bit of a control freak."

“But I knew that if 'Maestro' was going to mess up, it was all on me. I was not beholden to anybody else. There was a freedom in that, as well as a huge burden."

The 'Hangover' star said making the movie has completely "changed" him and the experience will always stay with him.

He added: "But that’s why this kind of thing to me feels completely different. I’ll carry it with me the rest of my life. It has changed who I am as an artist."

Cooper felt "completely naked" in the role because he was so "vulnerable" reports femalefirst.co.uk.

"Even though I’m not physically naked, I was completely naked putting on this prosthetic and being him and the way he talked. I would direct the movie that way, just because it was easier. But I felt so vulnerable. Singing at the Oscars, playing at Glastonbury, didn’t even compare to what that experience was".

'A Star Is Born' actor-and-director has been fascinated by conducting since he was a child and he said it meant he already had "years and years" of rehearsal within him.

He said: "I asked Santa Claus for a baton when I was around eight years old, and then I would just conduct all the time because there was classical music playing in my house. I would spend hours and hours."

"I’ve done so much work on believing I’m a conductor that if I ever had the chance to play one, there’s years and years of rehearsal inside of me. And when you believe you are something … That’s all we’re trying to do anyway."