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Noah Baumbach's Jay Kelly is trying to shed light on a different version of Hollywood, one where regrets seep in after years of a legendary legacy. In this story, a European trip becomes the only way to mend things within yourself. In the film, George Clooney steps in as Jay Kelly, a Hollywood icon whose glittering career has left other parts of his life behind. As he embarks on a life-altering journey with his manager Ron Sukenick, his life beyond the spotlight comes back to him.
The trailer has Kelly musing, "All my memories are movies," dropping us into a world of glamor and glitz. That line sets the tone for a story about a man who finally realizes he needs to live away from the cameras and outside the spotlight. He then turns to an impromptu European escape, one that becomes less of a holiday and more of a reckoning, as he confronts what he has lost in his search for stardom.
In an interview with Netflix, Clooney himself describes his role, saying:
“This is a story of him having to come to terms with other parts of his life besides the part that he’s been very successful at. He’s coming to terms with the idea that maybe he hasn’t been such a great friend or father. He has just been really good at being a movie star."
Jay Kelly has already begun its festival run in spectacular fashion. After a world premiere at the Venice Film Festival, the film received a ten-minute standing ovation. The momentum carried over to its New York Film Festival premiere, where audiences also got their first look at the full trailer. Clooney, however, was absent from Venice press events due to a sinus infection.
Jay Kelly is Baumbach and Clooney at their most introspective—cinema about cinema, but also about the man behind the legend.
More details about Jay Kelly
Noah Baumbach’s Jay Kelly is a mix of wit, melancholy, and reinvention in 2025. Co-written with Emily Mortimer, the coming-of-age drama pairs Clooney and Adam Sandler in a story about fame, friendship, and the legacies we leave behind.
Shooting for the film started in March 2024, with New York City, London, and Tuscany serving as the backdrop. Swedish cinematographer Linus Sandgren worked on the lens, using 35mm to bring the story to life. Nicholas Britell is working on the film's music while Netflix is distributing it.
Joining the duo is a star-studded ensemble including Laura Dern, Greta Gerwig, Isla Fisher, Alba Rohrwacher, Patrick Wilson, Eve Hewson, Emily Mortimer, and Lenny Henry, joined by younger faces like Louis Partridge and Charlie Rowe.
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Jay Kelly will be in select theaters on November 14, 2025, before making its Netflix debut on December 5, 2025.
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