George Clooney Absent from Jay Kelly Press Conference in Venice
According to CinemaDrame News Agency, George Clooney missed the press conference for Noah Baumbach’s Jay Kelly at the Venice Film Festival due to a “severe sinus infection,” though he is still expected to appear on the opening red carpet. Adam Sandler, who also stars in the film, joked: “Movie stars get sick too.”
This “tragicomic” story follows two middle-aged men, played by Clooney and Sandler, who embark on a chaotic weekend chasing their youth, leading to both hilarious and heartfelt moments that ultimately bring them back to their senses. The cast also includes Laura Dern, Riley Keough, Billy Crudup, Patrick Wilson, Eve Hewson, Alba Rohrwacher, Emily Mortimer, and Greta Gerwig. Baumbach directs the film and co-wrote the screenplay with Mortimer.
At the conference, Baumbach spoke about writing a role specifically for Clooney: “We quickly discovered that if you make a film about an actor, you’re making a film about identity, performance, and self-discovery. Actors are always trying to find themselves in their characters, to see which part of the role fits them, even though the character exists outside of who they are. Essentially, living is about striving toward the persona we project, and wondering, is this really who I am, or am I someone else?”
Sandler, who plays Clooney’s manager, explained that he has always admired his own managers: “I know how hard they work and how difficult it is to witness the ups and downs of my life while continuing to support me no matter what, even when I can’t make a sound.”
Later in the conference, when asked what legacy he hoped to leave behind, Sandler joked that the final line of any film made about him should be: “What just happened?”
Baumbach previously directed White Noise, The Meyerowitz Stories, and Marriage Story for Netflix, and co-wrote Barbie with his wife, Greta Gerwig. He had collaborated with Dern, who won the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress in Marriage Story, and with Sandler in The Meyerowitz Stories.
Jay Kelly will be released in theaters on November 14 and will be available to Netflix subscribers starting December 5, 2025.
