Thanks to A Star Is Born, Bradley Cooper invited plenty of relationship rumors into his life. Many people felt as if his chemistry with Lady Gaga was a giveaway that something was amiss in his seemingly stable relationship with Irina Shayk. And they weren't completely wrong.
Bradley ended his partnership with Irina in June 2019. They had been together since 2015. The two also have a young child together — a daughter named Lea.
The two had reportedly been rocky for some time before splitting. While Bradley didn't leave Irina for Lady Gaga, which many people speculated, it's possible that his chemistry with the singer made him realize that his relationship with Irina wasn't as strong as it could have been.
Luckily, the two are successfully co-parenting, even though Irina isn't a big fan of the term.
Irina talked to Elle about how it's been co-parenting 3-year-old Lea with Bradley. And she was open and honest in her interview.
"I never understood the term co-parenting," she said. "When I'm with my daughter, I'm 100 percent a mother, and when she's with her dad, he's 100 percent her dad. Co-parenting is parenting."
That said, she also was nothing but kind about Bradley in the interview. She made sure to applaud his parenting skills and his willingness to be with his daughter. Also, she acknowledged that the type of relationship they had really was never meant for the tabloids. It was a private relationship that she doesn't regret.
"My past relationship, it's something that belongs to me, and it's private," she explained. "It's just a piece of my inner self that I don’t want to give away." In those sentences alone, it's obvious that the exes have nothing but love and respect for each other. In a way, it makes their arrangement much easier — especially for Lea.
And Irina's strong enough to not let any of the tabloid nonsense bother her. She was secure in the relationship not to let rumors get in the way.
"I don't read what is out there," she admitted. "Honestly, I’m too busy raising a child. If they want to write articles [about me], they're doing their job. I'm concentrating on my life and my friends. The rest is just noise."
And that attitude may have been based on her childhood growing up. At a young age, she knew the importance of hard work and sacrifice. She revealed to Elle that growing up, oftentimes there wasn't food on the table. Her parents also were paid late many times, leading to family struggles. If she could handle that, she can handle a breakup.
Both she and Bradley seem to know that Lea is the major priority here. And Bradley has gone on the record about fatherhood before. The actor appeared on The Ellen DeGeneres Show after Lea was born and talked about how much her arrival had changed his life for the better.
Not only did he joke about how having a child let him indulge in his childish hobbies — like watching cartoons — but he added that "the innocence is beautiful to see." And that's something most parents really enjoy. Having a child is seeing the world again through a fresh perspective.
Even closer to their split, Irina made sure to state nothing but positive thoughts toward her ex. According to Us Weekly, she saw the split as something that naturally happened.
"I think in all good relationships, you bring your best and your worst — it's just the nature of a human being," she said. "Two great people don’t have to make a good couple. I think we've been very lucky to experience what we had with each other."
And their bond isn't just for show. A source told Entertainment Tonight that the former couple really is working together beautifully. "Their co-parenting routine and schedule is going smoothly and they have respect for each other," the source stated.
The two aren't over-sharers when it comes to how their relationship is currently going, so the update is quite a rewarding one for fans. Both seem to be trying hard to give Lea a normal upbringing. That said, Irina admits that her career as a model and her job as a mom can sometimes be interesting for Lea to experience.
"I have this huge picture that Peter Lindbergh gave me on my wall," she told Elle. "She'll always joke, 'I want this mama, I don't want this mama,’ pointing at the picture, and we laugh about it." Still, that picture may turn into a wonderful keepsake when Lea is older.
While Irina seems to have a great head on her shoulders, it doesn't mean that finding balance wasn't hard after splitting with Bradley.
"Life without B is new ground," she said to British Vogue. "It's hard to find a balance between being a single mom and being a working woman and provider. Trust me, there are days I wake up and I'm like, 'Oh my God, I don't know what to do, I'm falling apart.'"
But that said, Irina was mostly raised by her mom and her grandmother after her dad died. So she understands the power of a strong, female-led household and has no problem providing that for Lea.
"I always try not to stay away from my daughter for more than a week, but I also don’t want to be this woman who’s not truthful to herself, because I love my work and I was raised in a woman-run household," she told Vogue.
"I want my daughter to know that momma has a job in her life because I want to raise a strong, powerful woman," she continued. "Presents and food do not come out of the blue." With this plan in mind, it seems like Irina is blessed by having such a supportive ex. But even if she didn't, she's got this under control.
