George Clooney Says He’s Done With On Screen Romance and Explains Why He’s Not ‘Kissing Girls’ Anymore
George Clooney has spent decades as one of Hollywood’s most reliable leading men, but that chapter of his career is officially winding down.
The actor recently opened up about a personal decision that’s shaping the kinds of roles he wants to take moving forward, and it has everything to do with age, perspective, and an honest conversation at home.
In a new interview with the Daily Mail, Clooney explained that he’s no longer interested in playing romantic leads, especially when it comes to on screen kissing. The realization came after talking things through with his wife, Amal Clooney, and acknowledging where he’s at in life now.
“I’ve been trying to go the route Paul Newman did — ‘Okay, well, I’m not kissing a girl anymore.’”
That mindset became clearer once he hit a milestone birthday. Clooney shared how the conversation unfolded and why it stuck with him.
“When I turned 60, I had a conversation with my wife. 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.'”
For an actor who built much of his career around charm and romance, it’s a notable shift. Clooney became a household name starring in romantic films like One Fine Day alongside Michelle Pfeiffer, Out of Sight with Jennifer Lopez, Up in the Air opposite Vera Farmiga, and more recently Ticket to Paradise with Julia Roberts. Those roles helped cement his image as a classic movie star who could sell chemistry.
Clooney has been signaling this change for a while. Earlier this year, he told 60 Minutes that he was done making romantic films altogether, choosing instead to step aside and let younger actors take the spotlight.
“Look, I’m 63 years old. I’m not trying to compete with 25-year-old leading men,” he said. “That’s not my job. I’m not doing romantic films anymore.”
Looking back, Clooney has always had a relaxed attitude about romance on screen, even when it came with a few awkward moments. In a 2022 interview with the New York Times, he recalled an early experience that still makes him laugh.
“I remember early on in my career, I had to do a kissing scene with this girl and the director goes, ‘Not like that.’ And I was like, ‘Dude, that’s my move! That’s what I do in real life!’”
These days, Clooney seems comfortable letting go of that part of his movie star persona. He’s still acting, producing, and directing, but with a clearer sense of what feels right for him now.
You know, it’s kind of refreshing to see a Hollywood icon age on his own terms.