Brad Cooper

Parry Shen as Brad Cooper

**Bradley "Brad" Cooper** is a fictional character on the daytime soap opera *General Hospital*.

Brad is a former employee at General Hospital.

Dr. Britt Westbourne is his best friend.

## Casting

The role of Brad Cooper was originated by Marcus Toji on February 13, 2013. However, Parry Shen took over the role on May 6, 2013.

"I was kind of getting bored and looking for something new. Something to challenge me and get me scared," Shen said of his reason for taking the role. When he auditioned, Shen was told that the role was recurring and didn't expect it to last long.

On January 29, 2018, it was announced that Shen, who hasn't been seen since May of 2017, will return to General Hospital sometime this year.

On December 1, 2019, Shen put up a Facebook post that seemingly confirmed he was leaving *GH*. On December 4, however, it was revealed that Shen was joking around with the speculation of his exit and that he will not be leaving after all.

On March 12, 2020, Shen exited the series when his character was sent to prison.

On August 12, 2020, Shen confirmed he is back on set and filming with Time Winters (Dr. Arthur Cabot). Shen returned from November 18 to November 24, 2020.

On January 27, 2021, it was revealed that Shen will return to *GH* again as Brad. He returned from February 19 to February 22, 2021.

On May 25, 2021, it was reported that Shen will once again return to *GH*. He returned for only one episode on July 2, 2021.

On October 30, 2021, in a leaked script, it was revealed that Shen will soon be back as Brad.

## Characterization

The writers initially described the character to Shen as "opportunistic, very smarmy, confident" and someone with an agenda that benefits himself. Shen perceived Brad's advances toward Felix as "power-playing," to get something he wants. However, Shen appreciated that he was not immediately made aware of Brad being gay.

Instead of playing with a certain mentality, Shen brought a specific personality to the character, who just happened to be gay. Shen described his portrayal as very "different." Shen categorized Brad as the resident "evil heel."

Though Shen does his best to bring humor to the character, he relishes portraying the more raunchy side of his character. On his official website, Shen published a poster ad featuring the character with the caption, "What A Prick!" In the picture, Shen, as Brad is wielding a syringe just like Liesl Obrecht (Kathleen Gati). According to Shen, the character of Brad sticks around because he is so unique.

Shen on how biology has shaped Brad's behavior,

"You start seeing another side of Brad. Even though you know he’s kind of a prick, he’s [also] kind of ashamed of his dad because he took it to a whole new level where it’s about murdering and stealing from people who are weak and Brad just doesn’t want any part of that. Deep down he’s a human being. He’s not getting into the family business. He’s been adopted – he was bullied. We get to see why he turned out to be the way he is."
## Background

Shen initially thought his character's surname was a joke because the character was named after the award winning actor. Brad is bullied as a kid because he was a "fat, Chinese, gay tap dancer." Despite the bullying, Brad was extremely accomplished as a young tap dancer.

Brad is weak minded and cowardly as he allowed a psychopath like Nelle Benson to manipulate him for more than a year.

On January 24, 2014, it is revealed that Brad is the son of Kim Wu (aka Kim Soong), and great-grandson of Mr. Wu and they are both dead. Jade Soong is his aunt. His biological mother died giving birth to him. Brad was actually adopted and was forced to go searching for his biological roots on his own. The producers kept the secret up until the onscreen reveal.

The Wu Family returns in 2015 at a Five Families Mob summit in New York City called by Sonny Corinthos. A representative of the Wu Family was present named Ms. Wu.

On June 13, 2016, Brad married Lucas Jones. On February 21, 2020, the truth came out that, in July 2018, Brad had helped Nelle switch their newborn deceased son Wiley with her living son Jonah (Lucas' great-nephew). They had raised him for a year and a half with Brad keeping the truth secret, leaving Lucas and his nephew Michael thinking Jonah was dead. Lucas was physically disgusted with Brad and left him.

On March 11, 2020, Brad was forced by Sonny to plead guilty for kidnapping his grandson Wiley. He was sentenced 15 to 40 years life sentence.

## Storylines

* 2013-14
* 2015-16
* 2017-20
* 2021-Present

Brad is a lab technician at the GH lab. Dr. Britt Westbourne helps get him the promotion to lab manager in exchange for doctoring some fake lab tests to show that she is being affected by Hyperemesis Gravidarum. The medical condition is used as a possible excuse to get Britt to live with her ex-boyfriend Dr. Patrick Drake, the supposed father of her unborn child. Brad is promoted to lab manager soon before Britt's sick leave, which gives Ellie Trout, another lab tech, some suspicions of a possible secretive alliance between Brad and Britt.

Brad has eyes for fellow GH employee and nurse Felix DuBois, who is disgusted by the thought, but attempts to use this to get information for Patrick and Patrick's girlfriend, nurse Sabrina Santiago.  He continues his warped sense of justice and attempts to make Michael Corinthos agree to have sex with him (even though Michael is clearly straight and was raped by a man named Carter in prison in 2009) in exchange for his "silence" about witnessing Michael kissing his cousin Kiki Jerome. On September 4, Brad tells Felix that he really likes him. They almost kiss but Patrick interrupts and punches Brad for helping Britt lie about the baby. Brad is the father of Britt's son (via sperm donation). Brad stop Dante at the hospital to tell him something about Britt's baby. After the baby is born Brad goes to look at the baby but doesn't approach Britt or the baby.

At Connie Falconeri II's christening Brad reveals that Maxie and Spinelli were actually Connie's parents not Dante an Lulu. At the General Hospital Halloween party Brad tells Felix that he is not Ben's father. It has been comfirmed that Brad is not Ben's father.

After a fight with Felix, Brad goes off to blow off some steam at the Floating Rib. While at the bar an already inebriated Brad meets a frustrated Lucas Jones. Over the course of a few drinks the two discover they have similar pasts - both being adoptive and their birth father's being nothing they had imagined them to be. Brad also reveals that his father is Kim Wu, a former mobster in Port Charles in the mid 1980s, and that his mother died while giving birth to him. Feeling a connection they send the night together. Later the next day, Brad leaves Lucas at his apartment only for Lucas to find him later at GH, but not before Brad makes up with Felix and the two decide to go out on their first official date later that night.

Brad later talks to Lucas about their night together and explain his complicated relationship with Felix and their future plans. Lucas then in turn to tells Brad that there's still chance for the two before leaving. Brad later talks to Felix again about their impending date. Brad and Felix don't end up working out but he and Lucas do. Britt, Brad's best friend, flees town and he is devastated. Since August 15, he is in a relationship with Lucas Jones.

After Valentines Day 2015, Lucas moves in with him.

Britt does come out of hiding to watch the Nurses' Ball red carpet show with Brad like they did last year. At the Nurses Ball on May 1, Brad asks Lucas to marry him and he accepts.

On July 23, it is revealed that he can't marry Lucas because he's already married. On August 14, it is later revealed that Brad is married to his college friend, Rosalie Martinez and because of spousal privilege and them having witnessed a crime, they can't get divorced or else they will have to testify against each other.

In 2016, Brad revealed that he and Rosalie figured out a way to divorce without having to testify against each other.

In July 2018, Brad and Nelle switched her son with Michael and his deceased adoptive son with Dr. Lucas shortly after Nelle's sons birth. Brad told Julian Jerome about the switch except he said a homeless woman (not Nelle) gave him her baby. Julian didn’t find out the truth for over a year. When he did, Julian tried to force Brad to confess.

When Julian sabotaged Brad’s car, Lucas got into an accident. He was arguing with Brad who confessed everything about the switch right before they crashed. Lucas was in a coma for several months. Once he woke up, he couldn’t remember Brad’s confessions for a few weeks. Lucas told Michael the truth once he remembered. Nelle claimed the idea for the switch was Brad’s and Sonny threatened Brad if he didn’t confess to everything.

On March 12, 2020, Brad went to prison and Lucas filed for divorce.

In November 2020, Brad is stabbed in prison by a henchman of Cyrus and taken to GH to recover. He is sent back to prison after a few days.

On February 19, 2021, Britt convinces the prison warden to bring Brad back to GH to check on his wound. In his room, Brad overhears Lucas agree to Felix’s offer for drinks. On February 22, Brad went back to prison.

On July 2, Britt visits Brad in prison. Brad reveals his parole is coming up. Britt makes plans for Brad to be out by the Nurses Ball in the fall.