Bradley Cooper always writes rejection letters to actors who unsuccessfully audition for his movies because Michael Mann’s similar note encouraged him to keep going.

During The Hollywood Reporter’s Director Roundtable, The Hangover actor revealed that the rejection letter he received after trying out for Mann’s 2009 movie Public Enemies inspired him to keep pursuing his dreams.

Because the note had such a huge impact on him, Cooper adopted Mann’s practice when he became a director with A Star Is Born and Maestro.

“I put myself on tape for Public Enemies years ago, and I didn’t get it. And he wrote me a letter. I got a letter from Michael Mann saying, ‘Thank you for auditioning, and I see something in you.’ I kept that on my bookshelf for so many years,” he told his fellow directors, including Mann. “And you never know the impact you have. I learned from that. Anybody that auditions, I always write them. And that’s because of you.”

Cooper did not disclose which role he auditioned for in Mann’s crime drama, which starred Johnny Depp, Christian Bale, and Billy Crudup.

After Cooper shared his story, Selma moviemaker Ava DuVernay noted that the Heat director inspired her to make films when she worked as a publicist on his 2004 movie Collateral.

“Michael is the reason I thought that I could become a filmmaker,” she praised. “Just watching him on that set as a young publicist made me think, ‘I’m going to look into this.’ I was seeing the way he controlled the set and really was so visionary in what he wanted.”

When Mann was asked how he felt hearing Cooper and DuVernay’s stories, he replied, “It’s a surprise. Because to me, I pretty much occupy a present, looking to the next thing I want to do. Go forward.”

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