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By Crispian Balmer
August 29, 2025 – 3:52 AM PDT
VENICE (Reuters) – George Clooney plays to type in his latest movie “Jay Kelly”, which premieres at the Venice Film Festival on Thursday, taking on the role of a Hollywood legend who has to count the cost of a lifetime in the spotlight.
U.S. director Noah Baumbach told reporters that as he worked on the project with British actor-writer Emily Mortimer, he realised the role was tailor-made for the charismatic Clooney.
“Early on, we just started to say, this is going to be George,” Baumbach told reporters, saying it was important for the lead actor to be a global superstar whom audiences could instantly relate to, like the character on the screen.
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Clooney has a long relationship with Venice, making his first appearance at the world’s oldest film festival 27 years ago. However, he missed Thursday’s press conference after coming down with what organisers described as a severe sinus infection.
“Even movie stars get sick,” said Baumbach, who is entering the main Venice competition for the third time after “Marriage Story” in 2019 and “White Noise” in 2022.
The film tells the story of a celebrated actor stricken by self-doubt while journeying across Europe with his devoted manager, played by Adam Sandler, as the rest of his entourage melts away, including his publicist portrayed by Laura Dern.
The movie weaves sharp humour with poignant self-reflection as the protagonists grapple with lingering grudges, missed opportunities and fractured family ties, pushing them all to confront the compromises and choices that shaped their lives.
“When you read a script like this, you say, Holy shit, I can’t believe that I’m getting this gift,” said Sandler.
The film shows Clooney’s character demanding enormous sacrifices from his army of helpers, expecting them to subordinate their lives to his whims without hesitation.
Sandler and Dern said the film made them appreciate even more their own backstage staff. “(Do) I know if my publicist has a family? I definitely did, but I definitely want to be that much more mindful now,” said Dern.
“Jay Kelly” is one of 21 films competing for the prestigious Golden Lion prize, which will be awarded on September 6.
The picture is one of three films put forward by giant streamer Netflix. The other two, Guillermo del Toro’s “Frankenstein” and Kathryn Bigelow’s “A House of Dynamite”, will be shown later in the festival.
Reporting by Crispian Balmer; Editing by Alex Richardson
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