George Clooney's candid acknowledgment that he lost the breakout role in Thelma & Louise to Brad Pitt is offering a rare look into early-career rivalry between two actors who would later become among Hollywood's most bankable stars. In an interview with The Times, Clooney said he reached the final audition for Ridley Scott's 1991 film, only to watch Pitt secure the part that would propel him into immediate stardom. The setback, Clooney admitted, lingered with him for years.
The actor described how significant the opportunity felt at the time, when he was still building his résumé on series like Roseanne and The Facts of Life and had yet to achieve the breakthrough that came with ER. The role of J.D., the charismatic drifter who seduces Geena Davis's character, had the potential to transform his career trajectory. Clooney recalled performing the hotel-room scene that later became synonymous with Pitt's rise and said, "Mother**er, Brad got it," adding that he avoided watching the film because the disappointment lasted. "When it was the thing that could've launched me? F*! I was annoyed for years."
Pitt's performance in the movie quickly made him a household name, setting up leading roles in A River Runs Through It and Legends of the Fall. Clooney conceded in the interview that Pitt was the obvious choice once he finally watched the film, saying, "Of course, when I saw it, I was, like, well, it had to be that guy."
By the mid-1990s, Clooney experienced a breakthrough of his own with ER, which led to major film roles in From Dusk Till Dawn and Out of Sight. His commercial and critical success in the early 2000s established him as a defining Hollywood figure in parallel with Pitt.
The professional rivalry never translated into personal animosity. Clooney and Pitt went on to anchor one of Hollywood's most enduring on-screen partnerships, beginning with Ocean's Eleven in 2001 and continuing through its sequels. Their collaboration extended to the Coen Brothers' Burn After Reading in 2008, and most recently the 2024 release Wolfs, marking their first major joint project in more than a decade.
The friendship between the two actors strengthened off-screen. Clooney told GQ in 2024 that they regularly check in with each other, emphasizing how they navigate family life and aging. Pitt has also spoken openly about relying on Clooney's perspective, calling him "the best at understanding, seeing the chessboard and the potential moves" and noting he frequently turns to him for advice.
Their dynamic is poised for another revival with Ocean's Fourteen, which is scheduled to begin filming in 2026 with Clooney, Pitt, Matt Damon and Julia Roberts all returning. The renewed collaboration underscores how the early disappointment that once frustrated Clooney ultimately became part of the backstory of a long-running partnership.
