George Clooney is hitting back at critics who question his range as an actor.
Speaking to Vanity Fair for a preview piece on Noah Baumbach‘s Jay Kelly, the two-time Oscar winner didn’t mince words when addressing criticism that his characters are tantamount to playing versions of himself onscreen.
“Do people say that I only play myself? I don’t give a sh–,” the Good Night, and Good Luck actor said. “There aren’t that many guys in my age group that are allowed to do both broad comedies like O Brother [Where Art Though?] and then do Michael Clayton or Syriana [for which he won the Best Supporting Actor Academy Award]. So if that means I’m playing myself all the time, I don’t give a sh–.”
Echoing a quote from the upcoming Jay Kelly — where Clooney portrays a 60-something movie star reflecting on his personal and professional life — he added, “Have you ever tried playing yourself? It’s hard to do.”
The Wolfs star concluded, “I’ve been the beneficiary of having my career not be massively successful in lots of different directions. I didn’t really get successful, in the kind of success that can be blinding, until I was 33 years old [when ER began]. I’d been working for 12 years at that point. I had a real understanding of how fleeting all of it is and how little it has to do with you, quite honestly.”
Jay Kelly, which will have its world premiere at the Venice Film Festival later this month, is bowing in theaters Nov. 14, with a streaming debut on Netflix Dec. 5. Co-written by Baumbach and Emily Mortimer, the dramedy also stars Laura Dern, Adam Sandler, Isla Fisher, Greta Gerwig, Billy Crudup, Grace Edwards, Stacy Keach, Riley Keough, Patrick Wilson, Nicôle Lecky, Thaddea Graham, Jim Broadbent, Eve Hewson, Alba Rohrwacher, Lenny Henry, Josh Hamilton and Ruby Stokes.
