Before becoming one of Hollywood's most recognised faces, George Clooney received crucial advice about navigating stardom from screen legend Paul Newman. The valuable lesson has stayed with Clooney throughout his decades-long career.
The Fateful Warner Bros Meeting
George Clooney was 33 years old and rising to fame as Dr Doug Ross on ER when he encountered Paul Newman at Warner Bros studios. Newman, then filming the 1999 romance Message in a Bottle, was sitting outside smoking a cigarette when Clooney approached him in a golf cart.
In a recent New York Times interview with his Jay Kelly co-star Adam Sandler and director Noah Baumbach, Clooney recalled the amusing beginning to their conversation. 'He had no idea who I was,' Clooney revealed, explaining that Newman only realised Clooney was someone significant when other studio workers kept greeting him enthusiastically.
Newman's Wisdom on Fame and Privacy
The Hollywood icon offered Clooney advice that would profoundly impact how he handled his growing celebrity. Paul Newman told him, 'George, don't let them keep you at home.'
Clooney explained that Newman was addressing the natural tendency to isolate oneself to maintain privacy. 'My tendency at that moment was to stay in, and hearing Newman say that, it made sense immediately,' Clooney admitted. The advice clearly resonated, as Clooney has successfully balanced his public and private life ever since.
Clooney's New Role in Jay Kelly
Now aged 64 and a Hollywood legend himself, Clooney stars alongside Adam Sandler in the new film Jay Kelly. He plays a movie star who 'always plays himself' and begins questioning his life choices despite public adoration.
The film's official synopsis describes it as following 'two middle-aged friends rediscovering their youthful spirit during a chaotic weekend reunion.' Directed by Noah Baumbach, who co-wrote the script with British actress Emily Mortimer, the project sees Clooney's character reminding himself that he is 'Jay Kelly' during a European tour.
Clooney recently addressed questions about his acting range with characteristic humour, telling Variety: 'Do people say that I only play myself? I don't give a sh*t. Have you ever tried playing yourself? It's hard to do.'
Reflecting on his career trajectory, Clooney noted that he didn't achieve major success until ER began when he was 33, giving him perspective on fame's fleeting nature. Paul Newman, who passed away in 2008 aged 83, would likely approve of how his protege has handled the spotlight.
