George Clooney has spent decades as one of Hollywood’s most recognizable romantic leads, but the Oscar-winning actor says that chapter of his career is officially closed. Now in his 60s, Clooney is being candid about why he no longer wants to play on-screen romances that involve kissing much younger women.
George Clooney explains why he has decided no longer to kiss girls on-screen
Clooney shared that the choice became clear after a heart-to-heart with his wife, human rights lawyer Amal Clooney, around the time he turned 60. Thinking about aging and how he wants to come across on screen, he realized those romantic scenes no longer felt right for him.
He explained that he’s now following a path similar to Paul Newman’s. “I’ve been trying to go the route Paul Newman did: ‘OK, well, I’m not kissing a girl any more,'” the actor said in an interview with Daily Mail.
Clooney went on to explain how he put it in perspective during a conversation at home. After turning 60, he told his wife that while he can still shoot hoops with guys in their 20s, keep up, and stay in great shape.
“I said, ‘Look, I can still play basketball with the boys. I play with 25-year-old guys. I can still hang, I’m in shape. But in 25 years, I’m 85 years old. It doesn’t matter how many granola bars you eat, that’s a real number.”
This signals a big shift for an actor long known for his romantic roles. Over the years, Clooney won hearts in love-driven films like One Fine Day with Michelle Pfeiffer, Out of Sight alongside Jennifer Lopez, and Up in the Air with Vera Farmiga. He was most recently seen in Ticket to Paradise with longtime friend Julia Roberts.
Those performances locked in his image as Hollywood’s ultimate charmer. However, now, Clooney says that chapter is closing. He has no interest in trying to keep pace with leading men decades younger than him.
“Look, I’m 63 years old. I’m not trying to compete with 25-year-old leading men,” he previously said in a 60 Minutes interview. “That’s not my job. I’m not doing romantic films anymore.”
Originally reported by Rishabh Shandilya on ComingSoon.
