George Clooney's Broadway debut in Good Night, and Good Luck has added pressure to the actor's personal life, with sources saying the 63-year-old is struggling to balance the demands of live theater, fatherhood, and his marriage to human rights lawyer Amal Clooney.
The Academy Award-winner is performing nightly at the Winter Garden Theater in Manhattan, portraying CBS newsman Edward R. Murrow in a new stage adaptation of the 2005 film he co-wrote and directed. The production began previews on March 12 and runs through June 8.
An insider told RadarOnline.com: "George is making every effort to keep up with her energy levels but freely admits he's not getting any younger, and it's starting to take a toll."
The Broadway play, which runs for an hour and 40 minutes without intermission, is Clooney's first major stage role. Rehearsals, performances, and gym sessions are reportedly leaving him with little time for his wife and their seven-year-old twins, Ella and Alexander. "By the time he's had his dinner he's ready to hit the hay," the source added.
Clooney, who has spoken candidly about the effects of aging, told The New York Times in February, "In 30 years, I'm 90. That's a real number. My dad just hit that. And there are some things you're not doing no matter how many granola bars you eat."
Adding to the attention, Clooney's transformation for the role has included dying his signature salt-and-pepper hair a dark brown-a change he admitted would not be popular at home. "My wife is going to hate it because nothing makes you look older than when an older guy dyes his hair," he said in the same interview. "My kids are going to just laugh at me nonstop."
Clooney was photographed in New York recently sporting the new look while heading to a Saturday matinee. The actor paired a charcoal suit with a black polo shirt and sunglasses outside the theater. Amal and the children have also been seen with him in the city.
The production, co-written with longtime collaborator Grant Heslov, dramatizes Murrow's televised battle with Senator Joseph McCarthy during the height of the Red Scare. Clooney previously played CBS executive Fred Friendly in the 2005 film, which starred David Strathairn as Murrow and earned six Oscar nominations.
Sources told RadarOnline.com that Clooney's demanding theater schedule has further shortened his time with Amal, with whom he has been married since 2014. "The downside of all this is that his sexy time with Amal has taken a back seat, and that's bumming George out," one source said. "He still looks good and feels perfectly fine, but those legendary Don Juan days of his are sadly drawing to a close."
Beyond Broadway, Clooney is preparing for a return to film with Jay Kelly, a Netflix ensemble drama directed by Noah Baumbach. The project will feature a star-studded cast including Adam Sandler, Laura Dern, Riley Keough, Greta Gerwig, and Billy Crudup. Details remain under wraps, though the film is reportedly a coming-of-age story.
