George Clooney has officially closed the chapter on romantic films, saying he no longer sees himself competing with younger leading men.
In an interview aired Sunday on 60 Minutes, the Oscar-winning actor revealed that at 63, he’s stepping away from love-interest roles and shifting his focus to projects that better reflect his age and experience. “I’m not doing romantic films anymore,” Clooney told correspondent Jon Wertheim. “I’m 63 years old. I’m not trying to compete with 25-year-old leading men. That’s not my job.”
While Clooney hasn’t made many romantic comedies in recent years—his last before Ticket to Paradise in 2022 was One Fine Day in 1996—his new stance marks a more formal pivot in his career trajectory.
The conversation was part of a segment promoting the upcoming Broadway adaptation of Good Night, and Good Luck, his Oscar-nominated film from 2005. This time, Clooney is stepping into the role of Edward R. Murrow, the legendary newsman he once felt unready to portray. “Murrow had a gravitas to him that at 42 years old I didn’t — I wasn’t able to pull off,” he said.
Now, with decades of experience and a new confidence in his stage abilities, Clooney feels ready. “I don’t know that I could’ve [done Broadway] before. I wasn’t — I didn’t do the work required to get there,” he admitted.
Clooney also credited acting legend Paul Newman as a guide for aging gracefully in Hollywood. In a 2022 Washington Post interview, he praised Newman’s transition from heartthrob to respected character actor in films like The Verdict, saying, “He didn’t fight it… He just said, ‘Okay, that’s who I am now,’ and he changed expectations a little bit.”
With Broadway on the horizon and romantic leads behind him, Clooney appears to be embracing this next chapter on his own terms.
Addressing Divorce Rumors
George and Amal Clooney are pushing back against growing divorce rumors, with the high-profile couple now living together in New York City to quiet speculation about their relationship.
The Oscar-winning actor has been in Manhattan since January for his Broadway debut in Good Night, and Good Luck, a stage adaptation of his 2005 film. His extended stay in the U.S., while Amal remained in Europe, initially sparked rumors that the couple was headed for a split.
To counter the gossip, Amal has reportedly moved to New York with their twins, Ella and Alexander, and will stay until George’s run in the play ends in June. “Amal thinks moving to New York so it doesn’t seem like she and George are living separate lives will kill the gossip — but it probably won’t,” an insider told Radar Online.
George confirmed the move during an Access Hollywood interview, saying, “They’re in New York. We’ve been here the whole time.” He added with humor, “My wife is dealing with me walking around doing lines in a play all day long, so I think she knows it better than me.”
Married since 2014 after a glamorous wedding in Venice, the Clooneys split their time between their residences in the U.K., France, and Italy. Despite the geographic flexibility of their lifestyle, recent tabloid chatter had suggested distance was taking a toll on their marriage.
With Amal now by George’s side in New York and their children enrolled in school locally, the couple appears intent on showing unity. Whether the move silences rumors remains to be seen—but for now, they’re making it clear they’re in this together.
