How Bradley Cooper Joined ‘The Righteous Gemstones’ Season 4 Premiere

Spoiler Warning: This article contains minor spoilers from the Season 4 premiere of The Righteous Gemstones.

Danny McBride’s HBO televangelist comedy opened its final season with an unexpected twist, starting the premiere in 1862—without any familiar cast members present.

The Season 4 premiere, Prelude, plays like a Civil War epic—packed with intense violence and a surprising lead: Bradley Cooper. He portrays a Gemstone ancestor, a ruthless con man willing to do anything for money, including posing as a pastor and joining the Confederacy as a chaplain. But a twist of divine intervention changes his fate, shaping the Gemstone family’s future for generations.

Danny McBride told People Magazine that getting Bradley Cooper on board wasn’t much of a challenge. “I sent him the script, and he called me back pretty quickly. He liked what was presented.”

McBride also revealed that Cooper had never seen the show before signing on. “What was interesting is [Cooper] had actually never seen The Gemstones before, but he didn’t want to watch it until we were done shooting,” McBride said. “He didn’t want it to influence him, which I appreciate. I thought that was a good way to approach this.”

The Righteous Gemstones Season 4: What To Expect

While the season opened with a surprising 1862-set episode starring Bradley Cooper, there’s still plenty more chaos and drama to come.

As for what’s ahead in Season 4, the trailer hints at plenty of drama within the modern-day Gemstone empire. Jesse, Kelvin, and Judy struggle to accept their father moving on with a new woman. Meanwhile, Kelvin and Keefe’s relationship takes a surprising turn, and Uncle Baby Billy launches Teenjus, a young adult TV series about Jesus’ early years. The Simkins family may also return, stirring up new conflicts for the Gemstones. With plenty of chaos, scandal, and McBride’s signature humor, Season 4 promises to be a wild ride.

The Righteous Gemstones premiered on March 9, with new episodes airing weekly on Max until May 4.

More Like This:

• Warfare Trailer Revealed – Plot, Cast & More
• BLACK BAG: A Gripping Spy Drama with Brosnan and Fassbender