George Clooney ‘Trying to Figure Things Out’ About Himself Amid Jay Kelly Role

George Clooney is looking inward following his performance in his newest film, Jay Kelly.

The actor, 64, told Us Weekly exclusively that taking on the role of a movie star who is questioning his life choices and legacy sparked some internal reflection.

“I’m constantly trying to figure things out about myself as I get older,” Clooney said at the Jay Kelly premiere at AFI Fest 2025 in Los Angeles on Thursday. “At this point in my career and life, if somebody writes a really good script and a really good part, which there aren’t that many of, then you just jump on board and try not to mess it up.”

Jay Kelly follows Clooney’s Jay as he contemplates his role as a father, son, friend and actor while preparing to receive a lifetime achievement tribute as a Hollywood A-list star. Joined by his loyal manager Ron Sukenick (Adam Sandler), Jay often finds himself remembering significant moments from the past. In real life, however, Clooney is focused on the future.

“I’m 64. I’m not really ready to look backwards and sort of rest on [my career],” he told reporters on the red carpet. “I sort of enjoy looking forward and seeing what’s coming next.”

The Argo actor explained that his positive outlook is due, in part, to his supportive community, adding that he is “lucky enough to not be as unhappy as [Jay] is.”

“[I] have really good friends and people that I like, and people that I’m close to, so I don’t feel as isolated as he is in Hollywood,” the actor said.

Sandler echoed his costar’s sentiments at AFI Fest, where FIJI Water returned as the official water of the festival. The Happy Gilmore actor, who is receiving Oscar buzz for his performance, credited his support system for helping him navigate his career in Hollywood.

“The most important line, to me, in the movie — I say to George’s character, ‘Jay, you’re Jay Kelly, but I’m Jay Kelly too,’ which I know the people who work with me kind of feel the same,” Sandler told Us. “It’s like what I’m going after, they’re helping me go after. They’re trying to block anything that’s getting in the way of that and give ideas to help me do the best I can do. That’s what my character is to George’s [character].”

Sandler’s performance in Jay Kelly calls for him to be both comedic and dramatic — a delicate balance that the actor has perfected in recent years. Sandler has starred in a string of critically acclaimed roles, including 2017’s The Meyerowitz Stories, 2019’s Uncut Gems, and 2022’s Hustle, where he was required to bring both his unique sense of humor and serious acting chops.

“I lucked into this,” Sandler said about his newest dramatic role in Jay Kelly. “[Director and co-writer] Noah [Baumbach] called me like a year before I got the script. He said he had an idea and he’s going to write it and I’m in it. Then, I got to read the script, get affected by it emotionally and say, ‘Thanks for doing all the work. Now, I got to make sure I don’t let you down.’ It’s a good feeling.”

Jay Kelly will be released in select theaters Friday, November 14, and available to stream on Netflix Friday, December 5.