Russ Weakland and James Vituska for Dailymail.Com
20:01 11 Oct 2023, updated 22:40 11 Oct 2023
Bradley Cooper is said to be “very excited” about his budding romance with model Gigi Hadid, with insiders claiming the Hollywood actor has told friends she is “exactly his type”.
The pair sparked rumors that they could soon become the next big A-list couple after they were photographed driving back to New York together on Sunday in Bradley’s SUV after a supposed romantic getaway.
Bradley, 48, is “hungry to date and be in a relationship again,” according to one source, who claims the potential new union has angered Gigi’s ex, Zayn Malik, 30, with whom she shares three-year-old daughter Hai.
“Bradley really wants to meet Gigi. He hasn’t felt this excited about a woman in a long time,” a source exclusively told DailyMail.com. “They take it slow, but he loves her very much. She’s just his type.”
“Gigi is a good mother to her daughter Kai, and Bradley finds that very attractive,” the source continued, claiming that the supermodel also received points for “supporting (Bradley’s) sobriety, which is crucial to him.”
Bradley co-parents his six-year-old daughter Leah with ex Irina Shayk, 37, who is reportedly dating former NFL champion Tom Brady, 46.
A second source added: “Bradley wants to date and be in a relationship again. He loves everything about it, and Gigi is great and she gets it, she’s really cool and she knows how to build these kinds of relationships with famous men, so they both have fun.
“Bradley wasn’t jealous that Irina was dating Tom (Brady), but it gave him extra incentive to move on, start dating and focus on someone who could be a good friend.
“They see how it’s going, it’s still really new, but there’s no disappointment in what’s going on so far. This all looks very positive to turn into something serious.”
The couple first sparked rumors that they were getting closer when they were spotted having lunch together in New York on October 5, three days before they were photographed for the second time in Bradley’s SUV.
They were all smiles as the Hangover actor drove her to her apartment in his matte black Mercedes-Benz G-Class. She then took her duffel bag from his trunk and headed inside.
But Zayn is said to have “hated” the idea of Gigi continuing as he “still has a connection” with her.
“Zayn found out about it and hates it. Not that it’s Bradley, just because it’s anyone,” the source continued.
“He still has a connection with Gigi and he doesn’t really want to see or even think about her with anyone romantically.
“It’s been a long time since they broke up, but they have a rich history and, as we all know, they have a child together. So that plays a big role because he will never be able to move on from this because they will be linked forever and it plays on his emotions.”
DailyMail.com has reached out to reps for Bradley, Gigi and Zayn.
After the supposed low-key weekend, People reported that Bradley and Gigi were “having fun” and that “there’s potential for more.”
“She’s independent and has a busy schedule, so I don’t see anything serious happening anytime soon,” a source told the publication.
The insider also mentioned that Bella Hadid’s sister “has had a crush on Cooper for a while” and is ready for something more than just friendship with the Oscar winner.
“They have common features. They are both parents, have challenging careers, and understand life in the spotlight. There’s definitely an attraction,” the insider added.
Bradley has openly discussed his sobriety in the past. In August, he expressed gratitude for his recovery during an episode of Running with Bear Grylls: The Challenge, telling listeners: “I got sober at 29 and have stayed sober for 19 years.”
Despite their best efforts, neither Bradley nor Gigi were able to keep their dating life a secret.
Bradley’s last significant relationship with Irina ended in 2019 after four years. The couple sparked reconciliation rumors last November after they were photographed walking their dog with their arms around each other.
The A Star Is Born actor has previously dated Renee Zellweger, Isabella Brewster and Suki Waterhouse. He was also married to Jennifer Esposito from 2006 to 2007.
Gigi was briefly linked to Leonardo DiCaprio earlier this year, two years after she split from former One Direction star Zayn. The couple dated for six years.
Bradley is a close friend of Leonardo. The couple first met when they were 20, when Bradley, a New York hotel clerk, was helping the Titanic star.
Last April, Leonardo was seen partying with Bradley’s ex-wife Irina at Coachella.