George Clooney Reflects on Fame and ‘Jay Kelly’/ Newslooks/ WASHINGTON/ J. Mansour/ Morning Edition/ George Clooney stars in Jay Kelly, a reflective new Netflix film about fame, failure, and missed moments. He opens up about aging in Hollywood, past advice, and the emotional impact of watching his own movie montage. The project reunites Clooney with a star-studded cast under Noah Baumbach’s direction.
George Clooney on ‘Jay Kelly’ Quick Looks
- Clooney plays a fading star grappling with regret
- Jay Kelly premieres Friday on Netflix
- Film written and directed by Noah Baumbach and Emily Mortimer
- Adam Sandler, Laura Dern, Billy Crudup co-star
- Movie explores fame, family, and what really matters
- Clooney reflects on failure, legacy, and real-life mentors
- Final scene features reel of real Clooney film clips
- Emotional moment with Sandler made it into the film poster
Deep Look:
George Clooney Reflects on Fame, Regret, and a Life in Movies Through Netflix’s Jay Kelly
LOS ANGELES — George Clooney insists he isn’t Jay Kelly. But stepping into the role of a beloved, aging movie star questioning his legacy in Jay Kelly, Clooney couldn’t help but bring a piece of himself to the screen.
In Noah Baumbach’s latest film, streaming this Friday on Netflix, Clooney leads an ensemble cast in a poignant, darkly funny meditation on the cost of fame, the realities of aging in Hollywood, and the complicated push-pull between public persona and private life.
At 64, Clooney is reflective. While Jay Kelly is a man consumed by missed opportunities and estranged relationships, Clooney says his own life has been more balanced — marked by family, friendship, and a few great films.
“Jay Kelly isn’t me,” Clooney said in an interview with the Associated Press. “But the questions the character is wrestling with — those are real.”
A Script Too Good to Pass Up
Clooney didn’t hesitate when Noah Baumbach reached out with the role.
“I was predisposed to say yes before I even read it,” he said. “There just aren’t many great roles for actors my age.”
He wasn’t alone in jumping at the chance. Co-stars Adam Sandler, Laura Dern, and Billy Crudup also signed on quickly, many without even reading the full script. That’s the level of respect Baumbach commands after acclaimed films like Marriage Story and The Squid and the Whale.
Co-written by Baumbach and Emily Mortimer, Jay Kelly is both a character study and a love letter to the bizarre, often ego-driven machinery of Hollywood — the agents, publicists, makeup artists, and nearly-famous peers that orbit a movie star’s world.
“It’s so lush in its appreciation for the carnival life of actors,” said Crudup. “It captures that tantalizing proximity to greatness, and the illusions it creates about success and happiness.”
Drawing on Real Lessons from Fame and Family
Clooney understands that illusion. His perspective on fame was shaped early by watching his aunt, Rosemary Clooney, rise and fall in the public eye.
“She got famous at 16 — cover of Time magazine famous,” he said. “She believed it when they told her she was great. And then the industry moved on, and she wasn’t prepared. If you believe the hype going up, you’ve got to believe it on the way down, too.”
Unlike his character, Clooney didn’t peak young. He was well into his 30s before breaking out on ER. That long climb taught him that failure is not only inevitable — it’s essential.
“You can’t be an actor and not fail,” he said. “It’s risky. You risk humiliation. But that’s also what makes it so satisfying when something hits.”
The Story of Jay Kelly
In the film, Jay Kelly is forced to reassess his life after the death of a director who once championed his career. A strained reunion with a former acting-class peer (Crudup) and the slow unraveling of his relationship with his daughters push him to reflect — and to reconnect.
In a bid to fix things, Jay follows his backpacking daughter through Europe under the pretense of attending a lifetime achievement event in Italy. What unfolds is a journey of awkward conversations, misplaced nostalgia, and uncomfortable self-discovery.
“There’s something inherently confusing about spending your life pretending to be other people,” said co-writer Emily Mortimer, who also plays a makeup artist in the film. “Actors are so interested in reality, but we’re always at a slight remove.”
An Ensemble of Industry Veterans
The supporting cast brings authenticity to the world of Jay Kelly. Sandler plays Jay’s loyal yet exasperated manager, while Dern stars as his image-conscious publicist. Both drew from their real-life experiences in the industry.
Sandler observed his own agent during production: “He was making 10 calls while texting. I thought, is he paying attention to any of these?” he laughed. “But I saw the passion, the hustle — and that’s what I brought to the role.”
Dern said her publicist has been like a second mother since she was 19. “They’ve raised us,” she said. “This is really an homage to them.”
Wisdom from the Past
Working on Jay Kelly prompted many in the cast to revisit the advice they received early in their careers. For Sandler, one key moment came from Dustin Hoffman, who invited him to dinner after Billy Madison.
“He told me, ‘Meet three great directors who want to work with you,’” Sandler recalled. “That stuck with me, even if it took me a while to act on it.”
For Clooney, it was Norman Lear who offered perspective on what truly matters.
“He told me, no one gets to their 80s and says, ‘I wish I worked more,’” Clooney said. “It’s always, ‘I wish I spent more time with people I love.’ I’ve always tried to take that to heart.”
The Final Scene: A Life in Review
One of the film’s most emotional moments comes in its final scene — a tribute montage of Jay Kelly’s career played during an awards ceremony. For Clooney, the footage was real — a reel of his own films.
He didn’t know what to expect.
“I was surprised first by how many bad haircuts I had,” he joked. “Then I felt the weight of time.”
Baumbach kept the plan under wraps.
“I told George, ‘Just watch,’” Baumbach said. “And something real happened. He was really seeing his life in film. It was incredibly moving.”
Clooney instinctively reached over and grabbed Sandler’s hand — a spontaneous gesture that became the film’s poster image.
“That moment was as real as anything,” Clooney said.
Looking Back with Gratitude
While Jay Kelly is burdened by regret, Clooney is at peace.
“If I got hit by a bus tomorrow, I’d be OK,” he said. “I’ve got great friends, great family, and I’ve made a few films I’m proud of.”
And though he doesn’t confuse himself with the character he played, the film gave him a chance to reflect on the gift — and the fragility — of a career in front of the camera.
“There’s a line in the movie: ‘All my memories are movies.’ That’s not true for me,” Clooney said. “But my memories of movies — they’re about the people, the experience, not the scenes.”
He smiled, adding, “What a lucky life I’ve lived.”
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