Bradley Cooper picks up his best director prize at the National Board of Review Awards

The 2019 movie awards season rolls on with its shifting spotlight honouring 'A Star is Born' and the 'Green Book' at the National Board of Review gala in New York on January 8.

In an interview with Reuters, Bradley Cooper said the awards are a "wonderful process," even on the nights he doesn't take home a top prize, as was the case at the Golden Globes. But his fortunes turned in the midtown Manhattan event for his direction of 'A Star is Born,' for which he was awarded the Best Director award.

"I love the property, and I knew I wanted to tell a love story, and I wanted to make a movie that invested in themes of addiction and identity and finding your voice in this world, family, childhood trauma. It was the perfect setting to be able to do all those things," he told Reuters.

In the movie, for which he both acted and made his directorial debut, Cooper's character tries to help a young singer find fame as he himself battles age and alcoholism. His protégé is played by Lady Gaga, who also awarded top honours by the National Board of Review for her acting.

But in speaking to the media, Gaga was quick to thank all those who helped her, including Cooper.

In keeping with the highly politicized moment in the United States in the era of Donald Trump, political tensions have been fully on display at movies awards in recent years, even if to a relatively muted extent thus far this year. But one exception has been the splash made by Regina King, who was also awarded by the National Board of Review for her supporting role in, 'If Beale Street Could Talk.' But it was her tribute to gender equality in the entertainment industry during her Golden Globes acceptance speech that has made headlines. In it, King vowed to make the staff on projects she produces at least half women and challenged others to do the same.

Barry Jenkins, who directed, 'Beale Street,' and was honoured by the National Board of Review for the best-adapted screenplay, embraced King and her message.

"But I think being in the room of the Golden Globes you can really see that hopefully, I want to say it, I hope, hopefully that everyone else in the room felt, you know what, 'we need to all check our egos, and really sort of listen to all these women,'" he told Reuters. "And take steps, like Regina said. Make a pledge to make a film as a producer with a female in the next 18 months as a director. And to have gender parity in our crews. So I think in that way, the last year of my life has been quite inspired by the change in the industry."