George Clooney told The Sunday Times that he’s still upset about losing the role of J.D. in Ridley Scott’s 1991 film “Thelma & Louise” to longtime friend and collaborator Brad Pitt.
“I got to the final test for a role in ‘Thelma & Louise.’ And, motherfucker, Brad got it,” Clooney said. “I didn’t watch ‘Thelma & Louise’ for years, because I was annoyed. The part launched his career in film. He was doing sitcoms and crap before, so when it was the thing that could’ve launched me? Fuck!”
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In the film, J.D. is a rugged vagabond who sparks a fleeting romance with Thelma (Geena Davis). As noted by Clooney, the film cemented Pitt as a bankable movie star. In the years following, Pitt led films like “A River Runs Through It,” “Interview with the Vampire,” “Se7en” and “12 Monkeys.”
The “Jay Kelly” star added that Pitt still taunts him about winning the “Thelma and Louise” role.
“Oh yeah, he still gives me shit,” he said. “But, of course, when I saw it, I was, like, well, it had to be that guy.”
Clooney had to wait a few years after the release of “Thelma & Louise” to get his movie star break. He became a household name playing Dr. Doug Ross on “ER” from 1994 to 1999. In 1997, he was cast as the titular Caped Crusader in Joel Schumacher’s “Batman & Robin.” Unfortunately, that movie was critically panned, but a year later, Clooney landed the film that cemented his leading man status: Steven Soderbergh’s 1998 thriller “Out of Sight.”
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