George Clooney takes on the role of a movie star who ‘always plays himself’ Netflix’s new comedy drama Jay Kelly – days after he furiously hit back at claims that he himself lacked onscreen versatility.
In the first trailer for the film the Oscar winner, 64, is seen questioning his life choices, despite being fawned over by fans and staff.
On a trip to an Italian film festival in his honour, joined by his manager played by Adam Sandler, he’s hailed as the ‘hero of cinema’ before being brutally asked about always playing himself.
To which he snaps back: ‘You know how difficult it is to be yourself? You try it’.
George’s character is seen continually reminding himself that he is ‘Jay Kelly’ as he and his pal embark on a whirlwind trip through Europe as it appears the glamour of showbiz has lost its appeal.
The star-studded cast also features fellow Oscar winners Laura Dern, Jim Broadbent as well as Isla Fisher, Billy Crudup and Barbie director Greta Gerwig.
George Clooney takes on the role of a movie star who ‘always plays himself’ Netflix ‘s new comedy drama Jay Kelly – days after he hit back at being accused him of lacking versatility
In the first trailer for the film the Oscar winner (right) is seen questioning his life choices, despite being fawned over by fans and staff (pictured with Adam Sandler and Laura Dern)
On a trip to an Italian film festival in his honour, joined by his manager played by Adam Sandler , he’s hailed as the ‘hero of cinema’ before being brutally asked about always playing himself
The movie is directed by Greta’s husband and fellow Barbie scribe Noah Baumbach, who wrote the script alongside British actress Emily Mortimer.
The offical synopsis reads: ‘Two middle-aged friends rediscover their youthful spirit during a chaotic weekend reunion, facing hilarious mishaps and heartfelt moments that force them to finally grow up’.
The actor has had an illustrious career spanning 40 years, in which he’s bagged an Academy Award for his role in Syriana in addition to a wealth of other accolades.
But earlier this week during a recent interview with Variety, the Ocean’s 11 star was asked about the doubts about his range as an actor, with George furiously snapping back: ‘Do people say that I only play myself? I don’t give a sh*t.’
He went on: ‘There aren’t that many guys in my age group that are allowed to do both broad comedies like O Brother [Where Art Though?] and then do Michael Clayton or Syriana. So if that means I’m playing myself all the time, I don’t give a sh*t.’
Echoing a quote from his character in upcoming project Jay Kelly, he added: Have you ever tried playing yourself? It’s hard to do.’
The Hollywood hunk continued: ‘I’ve been the beneficiary of having my career not be massively successful in lots of different directions. I didn’t really get successful, in the kind of success that can be blinding, until I was 33 years old [when ER began]. I’d been working for 12 years at that point. I had a real understanding of how fleeting all of it is and how little it has to do with you, quite honestly.’
It comes after back in March, George quietly revealed the real reason he has quit starring in romantic comedies for good.
To which he snaps back: ‘You know how difficult it is to be yourself? You try it’
Throughout the trailer George’s character continually reminds himself that he is ‘Jay Kelly’ as he and his pal embark on a whirlwind trip through Europe
The Hollywood heavyweight’s character is seen having his eyebrows plucked
The star-studded cast also features fellow Oscar winners Laura Dern (left with Adam Sandler) Jim Broadbent as well as Isla Fisher, Billy Crudup and Barbie director Greta Gerwig
The movie is directed by Greta’s husband and fellow Barbie scribe Noah Baumbach, who wrote the script alongside British actress Emily Mortimer
The film star used to be one of the most sought after romantic comedy stars, but in recent years he has largely stepped away from the once-popular genre.
George opened up about his changing career in an interview with 60 Minutes that that focused on his Broadway debut in Good Night, And Good Luck, a play adapted from the Oscar-nominated 2005 film that he directed, co-wrote and co-starred in.
According to the A-list star, he has simply aged into a new phase of his career that doesn’t align with most youth-focused rom-coms.
‘Look, I’m 63 years old, I’m not trying to compete with 25-year-old leading men,’ he admitted.
‘That’s not my job,’ he continued, before declaring, ‘I’m not doing romantic films anymore.’
Part of what has made Clooney so popular — which often translates to box-office success — is that he’s charming enough to make non-romantic comedies feel as if they are rom-coms.
Although his blockbuster heist comedy thriller Ocean’s 11 isn’t a traditional romantic comedy, the tension and humor that he brought to it with his costar Julia Roberts made every scene that they shared feel like a rom-com.
One of George’s most acclaimed films in the genre was an earlier collaboration with his Ocean’s series director Steven Soderbergh on Out Of Sight.
Even though that film had elements of a crime comedy and a thriller, his burgeoning on-screen romance with Jennifer Lopez comfortably sits with the best romantic comedies.
![Despite his success, the star has still come under fire about his versatility as a performer - and George recently had plenty to say about this in the form of a foul-mouthed retort [pictured with his Academy Award in 2006]](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2025/08/05/14/100938723-14972477-image-a-31_1754401071736.jpg "<p><strong>First Look: George Clooney in Netflix Comedy as 'Always Himself' After Versatility Criticism</strong></p> 9")
Despite his success, the star has still come under fire about his versatility as a performer – and George recently had plenty to say about this in the form of a foul-mouthed retort [pictured with his Academy Award in 2006]
He said: ‘Do people say that I only play myself? I don’t give a sh*t.’
George also worked with the Coen brothers on the screwball comedy Intolerable Cruelty with costar Catherine Zeta-Jones, but his Cary Grant–like charm and screen presence means that even some of his more traditional romantic dramas get just enough comedy to feel like rom-coms.
His last official rom-com to date was the 2022 box-office success Ticket To Paradise, which grossed nearly $169 million against a $60 million budget.
He and Julia Roberts reunited for the film, in which they play divorced parents who team up to put a stop to their daughter’s destination wedding in Bali.
Clooney also notes in his 60 Minutes interview that his life has changed in other ways, as he’s now a married man with children, rather than one of Hollywood’s most eligible bachelors, as he was at the height of his commercial potential.
