First look of Noah Baumbach’s highly anticipated film 'Jay Kelly' with George Clooney and Adam Sandler revealed

George Clooney headlines Noah Baumbach's upcoming feature film, Jay Kelly, where he will play a renowned movie actor going through a personal crisis.

Clooney is known for starring in a variety of projects, whether it's a blockbuster like Ocean's Eleven, a grounded thriller like Michael Clayton, a pulpy horror like From Dusk Till Dawn, or a broad satire like O Brother, Where Art Thou?. No matter what role, he has left a mark not only as an actor but as a larger-than-life personality. That's what compelled Baumbach to cast him as Jay Kelly.

“Movie stars are our avatars. They are people that we invest in and project onto and live through. And a movie star needed to play the movie star."

"That was in the DNA of what this thing should be: What if a movie star was essentially playing one, and reflecting back our own vulnerabilities and our own questions about life? What would that mean? I don’tknow that I knew exactly, but it seemed interesting,” Baumbach told Vanity Fair.

Apart from Clooney, Adam Sandler has joined the cast, playing a reliable manager to Clooney's titular, revered icon. The film is all set to premiere at the 82nd Venice International Film Festival, where it will compete for the Golden Lion.

Ahead of its release, Netflix has shared a few stills from the movie, offering a peek into the relationship between these two characters.

Noah Baumbach's Jay Kelly first look revealed

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The latest set of stills, revealed by Vanity Fair, takes us a bit further into the world of the charming protagonist of Noah Baumbach's latest film. Until now, we had only seen one photo of George Clooney playing the part. In that image, he was in a white suit, standing in front of his black-and-white portrait, lit up and hanging on a building.

With the new photos, we get a glimpse of the kind of relationship Jay shares with his manager, Ron (Adam Sandler), his publicist, Liz (Laura Dern), and his older daughter (Riley Keough).

We see Ron and Jay sharing a playful moment, followed by one where Jay is signing an autograph for a fan, accompanied by Liz and Ron. Jay looks gleeful as he speaks with a bus full of people, likely his fans. On the flipside, he looks devastated, standing next to his daughter.

Jay might not be the only person with a fraught relationship with his family. In a photo, Ron stands next to his wife (Greta Gerwig). There's another image that hints at a quiet moment between Jay and his action school pal (Billy Crudup), reflecting on their lives, from the looks of it.

Overall, the stills give us an idea of the film's somber moments and its lighthearted ones.

Jay Kelly release date, plot details, and more, explored

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The last time we saw a Noah Baumbach directorial project was back in 2022. Titled White Noise, the film failed to intrigue critics and audiences alike, leading to an overall mixed reception from both. Yet, it's where Baumbach collaborated with Sam Nivola, the young star who recently appeared in The White Lotus.

On set, Baumbach spent time with his future writing collaborator, Sam's mother Emily Mortimer. The British actress from Paddington in Peru and Shutter Island has slowly been building her writing portfolio, with fascinating shows like Doll & Em and The Pursuit of Love.

Jay Kelly marks Mortimer's feature writing debut. She co-wrote the screenplay with Baumbach, who helms the showbiz drama, and co-produces it with Amy Pascal and David Heyman, among others.

The film's plot synopsis, per IMDb, reads:

"Famous movie actor Jay Kelly and his devoted manager Ron embark on a whirlwind and unexpectedly profound journey. Both are forced to confront choices they've made, their relationships with loved ones, and the legacies they'll leave behind."

The cast of Jay Kelly, as we know so far, includes: