Bradley Cooper makes a cameo in the new Superman movie as Jor-El, Superman’s father, and director James Gunn is opening up about getting the actor to take the role.

For those who don’t know, Bradley and James previously worked together on the Guardians of the Galaxy franchise. Bradley voiced the role of Rocket Raccoon while James directed the movies.

James cast Bradley in the role as he wanted to find somebody who could match the stature of Marlon Brando, who played the role in the 1978 version of Superman.

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“I needed somebody who could play Jor-El, who had the stature of what we imagine that character to be,” Gunn told Entertainment Tonight. “Somebody that could walk in the footsteps of Marlon Brando.”

“[Bradley]’s a friend,” Gunn added. “We’ve stayed in close contact since the Guardians movies, and I admire him greatly as an actor and as a director.”

Gunn called up the actor and asked, “Hey, will you do me a favor? Come down, go to England, we’re going to shoot you in a 3D environment, make a hologram of you, and you can play Jor-El.”

Another important person makes a cameo in the movie.