George Clooney on ‘Jay Kelly,’ Reuniting with Adam Sandler,and Finding Comfort Onscreen

George Clooney recently revealed a playful slip of the tongue during an interview,initially referring to filmmaker noah Baumbach as Alexander Payne – a testament to his long-standing admiration for Payne,whose film The Descendants earned Clooney his last acting Oscar nomination fifteen years ago. This new project, Jay Kelly, is poised to reignite awards season buzz for the veteran actor.

ClooneyS filmography since 2017 has been deliberately selective, and Baumbach capitalized on the actor’s willingness to collaborate fully. “George really was, like, ‘I’m here for you to work the way you feel we should work,'” Baumbach shared.the director highlighted Clooney’s remarkable ability to seamlessly transition between personas – the charismatic movie star, a devoted father, a son seeking approval, and a loyal friend – all with subtle nuance.

The production of Jay Kelly felt like a reunion for Clooney, who has decades-long friendships with Adam Sandler and Isla Fisher. He also revisited a connection with Laura Dern, his co-star from his very first film, the largely forgotten Grizzly II: Revenge, over forty years ago, describing her as a “little sister.” Clooney serves as a natural guide through this humorous and nostalgic portrayal of Hollywood, appearing more at ease onscreen than ever before, and challenged to explore deeper emotional layers.

“Part of being 64 and having been in the business for a long time now-you do get to know peopel, right?” Clooney reflected. “What a treat. I got to be along for the ride.”

Jay Kelly will have its world premiere at the Venice Film Festival before its theatrical release in the US on November 14th. The film will then be available for streaming on Netflix starting December 5th. This report is part of Awards Insider’s comprehensive coverage of this year’s fall film festivals, offering exclusive previews and interviews from Venice, Telluride, and Toronto.