During an interview, George Clooney began a response with an amusing slip of the tongue: “It was fun because I always loved Alexander—I’m sorry, I was just talking to Alexander. I always loved Noah.” The mistake, swapping director Noah Baumbach for Alexander Payne, is revealing. Clooney’s last Academy Award nomination for acting was for Payne’s The Descendants nearly 15 years ago, and his new film, Jay Kelly, is poised to return him to the awards conversation.
Coincidentally, Payne is presiding over the competition jury at this year’s Venice Film Festival, where Jay Kelly is set to premiere—a fact Clooney was unaware of until the interview. “I’d do a movie with that guy any day of the week,” he remarked with a smile. “I’m not buttering up.”
Clooney’s film appearances have been sparse since 2017, but he fully embraced Baumbach’s meticulous process for the new project. “George really was, like, ‘I’m here for you to work the way you feel we should work,’” Baumbach recalled. The director praised Clooney’s dynamic range, noting his ability to shift seamlessly within a scene. “You can feel this dashing, debonair movie star—and then you can see an older father, or a son who’s trying to get the approval of his father… He is able to make all these transformations invisibly.”
The production of Jay Kelly had the atmosphere of a family affair, which contributed to Clooney’s commanding on-screen presence. He has been friends with co-star Adam Sandler for decades, has frequently hosted Isla Fisher at his home, and considers Laura Dern his “little sister” ever since they appeared together in Grizzly II: Revenge over 40 years ago.
This familiar environment allows Clooney to serve as an assured guide through the film’s tartly funny and nostalgic portrait of Hollywood. While the role may be his most comfortable to date, it also challenged him to deliver one of his most introspective performances.
Reflecting on his career, Clooney said, “Part of being 64 and having been in the business for a long time now—you do get to know people, right? What a treat. I got to be along for the ride.”
Jay Kelly will premiere at the Venice Film Festival before its US theatrical release on November 14. The film will be available to stream on Netflix beginning December 5.
