A Star Is Born: How Lady Gaga and Bradley Cooper Stack Up Against the Previous Casts

Updated on 10/2/2018 at 5:06 PM

A Star Is Born is about to make its fourth debut (over 80 years after the debut of the original), but the story still hasn't changed: a young, talented woman attracts the attention of an established male performer, and as the woman's star starts to rise, the man's own career starts to decline. The plot may be as old as Hollywood itself, but each new remake adds a fresh take to the story to keep it modern. What began as the 1937 tale of a country girl trying to make it in Hollywood then became a musical in 1954, then a rock-and-roll love story in 1976, and finally a 2018 remake with Lady Gaga and Bradley Cooper that we've been eagerly anticipating since we first saw the trailer. Check out how the characters have evolved since the original film and who has been cast as the bright-eyed ingénue and her mentor over the years.

1954: Judy Garland as Esther Blodgett

In the first remake of the film, The Wizard of Oz star Judy Garland revives the character of Esther Blodgett, who — rather than a North Dakota farm girl aspiring to be a Hollywood star — is now a small-time band singer who becomes a major movie superstar and takes on the stage name Vicki Lester.

1976: Barbra Streisand as Esther Hoffman

In Barbra Streisand's remake, Esther Blodgett is instead Esther Hoffman, a struggling singer who rises to fame as a rock star.

2018: Lady Gaga as Ally

In this latest version, Esther is ditched altogether for Ally, an unknown singer-songwriter played by American Horror Story actress and pop sensation Lady Gaga.

1954: James Mason as Norman Maine

English actor James Mason, who starred in Odd Man Out, plays opposite Garland's Esther as Norman Maine, a former matinée idol whose career is starting to reach its decline and who takes Esther under his wing.

1976: Kris Kristofferson as John Norman Howard

Actor and real-life rock star Kris Kristofferson costars with Streisand as John Norman Howard (no longer Norman Maine), a self-destructive rocker who encourages Esther's career and later marries her.

2018: Bradley Cooper as Jackson Maine

The Hangover hottie Bradley Cooper will star opposite Lady Gaga as Jackson Maine, a country musician whose alcohol dependence threatens his career.

1954: Jack Carson as Matt Libby

Jack Carson, who is primarily known for his comedic supporting roles, appears in the original remake as Matt Libby, Norman Maine's studio publicist who tries to disguise his drunken episodes from the public.

1976: Paul Mazursky as Brian Wexler

In the 1976 version, Matt Libby becomes Brian Wexler — John Norman Howard's manager who first takes John to hear Esther sing at a bar — and is played by the late film director, screenwriter, and actor Paul Mazursky.

2018: Sam Elliott as Bobby Maine

In this latest version, the new manager, Bobby Maine, has a dual role as Jackson Maine's brother, and he is played by veteran actor Sam Elliott.