George Clooney admits he harbored resentment for years after losing one role to Brad Pitt, and he still gets teased about it

George Clooney recently opened up about losing a major role to Brad Pitt early in his career. The 64-year-old actor said he felt bitter for years after missing out on the part. He admitted the loss was hard to get over because it could have changed his career path.

According to Fox News, Clooney said that he almost got the role of J.D. in the 1991 movie Thelma & Louise. “I got to the final test for a role in Thelma & Louise. And, motherf—–, Brad got it,” he said. The role became Pitt’s big break and made him a star overnight.

At the time, Clooney was working mostly on TV shows. Back then, there was a big gap between being a TV actor and a movie actor. Clooney felt this role could have been his chance to make it in films. The disappointment hit him hard.

The loss stung so bad that Clooney avoided watching the movie for years

Clooney was so upset that he didn’t watch Thelma & Louise for years. “I didn’t watch Thelma & Louise for years, because I was annoyed,” he said. What made it worse was that Pitt was doing “sitcoms and crap” before this. “The part launched his career in film. When it was the thing that could’ve launched me? F***!!” Clooney added.

In the movie, J.D. is a charming drifter who meets Thelma Dickinson, played by Geena Davis, at a motel. He sleeps with her, steals her money, and sets off the movie’s final events. Even though J.D. only appears briefly, the role was important to the story. Like a coach who disappeared before game day, missing chances can leave lasting impacts on careers.

Clooney got his own big break a few years later on the TV show ER, where he played Dr. Doug Ross. But he still carried some bitterness about losing the Thelma & Louise role for a long time.

The two actors eventually became close friends and worked together many times. They starred in the Ocean’s movies, Burn After Reading, and the 2024 movie Wolfs. Even though they’re best friends now, Pitt still jokes about the audition. Hollywood success stories often spark debates, much like how Elon Musk’s earnings compare to regular workers.

“Oh yeah, he gives me s***,” Clooney said about Pitt teasing him. But Clooney admitted that after finally watching the movie, he understood why Pitt got the part. “Of course, when I saw it, I was, like, well, it ‘had’ to be that guy,” he said. Geena Davis also remembered how special Pitt was during auditions. She said his charm made her forget her lines, and she knew right away he should get the role.