Bradley Cooper Brings Daughter Lea as His Date to L.A. 'Maestro' Premiere

Bradley Cooper conducted himself well during the premiere of his big Oscar-buzzy film this week -- playing the role of both A-lister and Papa Bear ... 'cause he brought his kid along.

The actor/director showed up dressed to the nines Tuesday night in L.A. for the debut of "Maestro," the Netflix movie in which he stars ... and for which he's said to be up for an Academy Award in due time. Notably, his date wasn't Gigi Hadid ... rather, he brought 6-year-old Lea.

Lea, of course, is his daughter that he shares with Irina Shayk ... who wasn't there either, BTW. She did show support online though -- posting a sweet shout-out to both of them.

Anyway, Brad was on daddy duty -- holding Lea's hand and escorting her along the carpet.

Obviously, it made for a super sweet moment in front of cameras -- but more importantly, it was a peek at BC's life behind the scenes. He normally takes great care to shield Lea away from the spotlight, and prioritizes privacy -- especially as it pertains to his family.

Last night, however, it seems he was ready to introduce her to the world ... cute kid.

Another highlight from the premiere came in a cool reunion between Lady Gaga and Brad ... who, of course, were in "A Star is Born" a few years back -- which was an award darling at the time. She didn't have anything to do with this latest flick ... she was just supporting.

Considering their success the last time around, her presence might be a good luck charm.

Now, controversy aside, "Maestro" is said to be big-time Oscar bait ... and seeing how Brad's in front of and behind the camera for this one -- he stands to walk away a major winner.