George Clooney is not proud of some of the hairstyle decisions he's made over the years. As the actor and filmmaker prepares to introduce his new Oscar-buzzy film, he's confronting aging in the public eye.
"Jay Kelly" stars Clooney in the lead role. He plays a famous movie star in the film, a role that parallels some parts of his life. In one of the final scenes of the movie, he's alongside his manager, watching a highlight reel of his career, with the director using real footage of Clooney's parts and auditions over the years. It was a move that Clooney wasn't expecting.
“The first time he shot, it was the first time he showed it to me,” explained Clooney to PEOPLE, “The first take is in the movie.”
“I was really surprised by that — and a little disturbed,” he said. “It's hard. You have to really fortify yourself to see 40 years of aging on screen. It's not so easy with a bad mullet. It's not great.”
"Jay Kelly" will premiere on Netflix in the coming weeks, following Clooney's Kelly as he comes to the realization that he's prioritized his work and career over his personal relationships throughout his life.
What Clooney hopes for his future
The past year has been great for Clooney, providing him with some incredible opportunities, including starring in his first Broadway production, and now promoting a movie that might get him a new Oscar nomination.
It seems like Clooney has no plans to retire anytime soon, and that he still finds fulfillment in his work decades into his career. "I do feel like because it's creative, you can stay involved and do what you want to do," said Clooney in an interview with USA Today. "There's going to be parts for 'Grandpa gums bread,' and I'll be the perfect guy for it. That's a good thing about the profession that I've chosen."
Still, being present for his kids is something that's at the forefront of his mind, especially considering that he and his wife, Amal Clooney, are people who put a lot of value on their work.
"If you give up working, you lose your place in society. But we also have to make sure we are spending time doing things with our family, with the people we love more," he said. "Because Amal and I both tend to focus on trying to accomplish things. We've gotten much better at spending time with our kids. Listen, nobody gets it right. I don't get it right. You probably don't get it right. But we do the best we can. I'm not mad at my parents for missing things when I was a kid because they were putting food on the table."