George Clooney and Brad Pitt discuss the evolution of Hollywood stardom

A candid conversation with two Hollywood icons

In a recent joint cover story for GQ magazine, George Clooney and his longtime friend and co-star Brad Pitt opened up about their new film, Wolfs, and shared their thoughts on the current state of movie stardom in Hollywood. The conversation took an interesting turn when Clooney addressed some recent comments made by director Quentin Tarantino, who had previously worked with both actors.

Clooney’s response to Tarantino’s remarks

Clooney didn’t hold back when discussing Tarantino’s recent interview, where the director allegedly downplayed Clooney’s status as a movie star. “Quentin said some stuff about me recently, so I’m a little irritated by him,” Clooney remarked. “He did some interview where he was naming movie stars, and he was talking about [Brad], and somebody else, and then this guy goes, ‘Well, what about George?’ He goes, he’s not a movie star. And then he literally said something like, ‘Name me a movie since the millennium.’ And I was like, ‘Since the millennium? That’s kind of my whole career.'”

Clooney’s frustration was palpable as he added, “So now I’m like, all right, dude, fuck off. I don’t mind giving him shit.”

The changing landscape of Hollywood stardom

Both Clooney and Pitt reflected on how the industry has evolved since they first started their careers. Clooney noted, “Well, they haven’t developed stars the way the studio system used to. We kind of were at the very end of that, where you could work at a studio and do three or four films, and there was some plan to it. And I don’t think that’s necessarily the case anymore. So it’s harder for you to sell somebody something on the back of a star.”

However, Clooney also acknowledged the opportunities available to young actors today. “But it’s a great time as a young actor,” he said. “Because when I was a young actor, if you looked at the back of the L.A. Times every Monday morning they had the 64 shows that were made. And of those 64 shows, if you’re actually on one of them, you’re trying to be in the top 20 to keep your show on the air. But that was it. And then the studios were doing five films a year. Now there’s 600 shows. So there’s a lot more work for actors.”

Clooney’s enduring career

Despite acting sparingly in recent years, Clooney is ramping up his output with projects like Wolfs and Noah Baumbach’s upcoming Netflix feature, which co-stars Adam Sandler and Laura Dern. Reflecting on his 40-year career, Clooney shared a conversation he had with Matt Damon 25 years ago. “I remember I talked to [Matt] Damon about this 25 years ago, when he first hit with his movie and won the Oscar,” Clooney said. “I was like, ‘Just know that if you get a 10-year career, playing at that level, it’s an absolute jackpot.’ Nobody sustains it much longer than that. So yeah, I’m surprised that I still have the work.”

Clooney also addressed the perception that he always plays a version of himself. “There’s a narrative that people love to do with me, which is like, I’m always just playing a version of me,” he said. “And I always go, ‘Well, all right, but I don’t know that many people are doing O Brother, Where Art Thou? and Michael Clayton.’ And I think part of the reason I’m allowed to do that is I had so many genres of films that I was in that weren’t successful. You know what I mean? If you’re not wildly successful at action films, then no one’s asking you to do more action films. And the same thing with sort of everything. So part of life for me was always, the lack of massive success allowed me to do other things and try new things.”

Upcoming projects and where to watch

Clooney and Pitt’s Wolfs is set to world premiere at the Venice Film Festival before streaming on Apple TV+ starting September 27. The movie will have a one-week theatrical run beginning September 20. For more details, you can check out the Wolfs trailer.

For those interested in exploring more about Clooney’s and Pitt’s filmography, here are some notable mentions:

Final thoughts

The conversation between Clooney and Pitt offers a fascinating glimpse into the minds of two of Hollywood’s most enduring stars. Their reflections on the industry’s evolution, combined with their candid remarks, provide valuable insights for cinema enthusiasts and aspiring actors alike. As the landscape of Hollywood continues to change, it will be interesting to see how new stars emerge and how veterans like Clooney and Pitt continue to adapt and thrive.