Despite a rough sinus infection, George Clooney put on a brave face to be at the red carpet world premiere of his new movie, Jay Kelly, in Venice last night.
The infection knocked him out of the festival’s press conference and other media duties, however, and we now understand from sources that he also won’t be able to fly to Telluride where the movie is getting its North American premiere this weekend. Planes and sinus infections are a no-no and he’s under doctor’s orders. Wise.
A spokesperson for Clooney told us: “Unfortunately, because of the sinus and ear infections that George is currently suffering from, his doctors have told him that it would be impossible for him to fly to Telluride to support his new film, Jay Kelly. This is, of course extremely disappointing for him because he was looking forward to celebrating the US premiere in Telluride with his fellow cast members and Noah.”
It’s a shame for Clooney and studio Netflix but as co-star Adam Sandler quipped at the presser: “Even movie stars get sick”.
Noah Baumbach‘s new film follows a famous movie actor named Jay Kelly (Clooney) and his devoted manager Ron (Sandler) as they embark on a whirlwind and unexpectedly profound journey through Europe. Along the way, both men are forced to confront the choices they’ve made, the relationships with their loved ones and the legacies they’ll leave behind.
Written by Baumbach and Emily Mortimer, the film’s ensemble also includes Laura Dern, Billy Crudup and Riley Keough.
The critical response so far has skewed positive, with many praising Clooney and Sandler.
Deadline’s Pete Hammond was enthusiastic, saying the film, whose subject and tone harkens to some bona fide movie classics, “manages to find its own identity in the movies-about-movies genre, making it fresh, smart and quite welcome.”
He adds of the actors: Clooney “does some of his best screen acting in this film, which offers a tricky role for a genuine modern movie star. … Sandler is simply great as the suffering Ron, whose life is so intertwined in Jay’s that he has to break loose and reclaim his own identity. I know a few Rons in this business, and Sandler nails it. So does Dern, who is completely convincing as a personal publicist at wit’s end. She obviously has been around a few in her time.”
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