George Clooney Reportedly Facing 'Health Issues' As He Abruptly Pulls Out Of Film Festival
By Favour Adegoke on August 28, 2025 at 1:15 PM EDT
George Clooney had to abruptly pull out of all scheduled appearances at the Venice Film Festival due to ill health.
The actor was supposed to hold a press junket for his new Netflix movie, "Jay Kelly," but had to skip it to attend to his personal matters.
The recent development comes after George Clooney stepped out for a Lake Cuomo outing with his wife, Amal Clooney, their children, and the rest of the "Jay Kelly" team.
George Clooney Skips Venice Film Festival Over Ailing Health
Clooney was unable to continue with his planned itinerary at the Venice Film Festival due to a sudden illness.
He missed out on two events on Wednesday and one on Thursday, with a rep for the actor telling the New York Post that he "has been diagnosed with a sinus infection and is under doctor's orders to cut back on his activities today."
On Wednesday, the "Ocean's Eleven" actor was scheduled to attend a press event for his new movie, "Jay Kelly," which also featured Adam Sandler and Laura Dern, but he missed it due to "health issues."
The Actor Began Feeling Ill On Wednesday
Sources told The Hollywood Reporter that Clooney "started to feel unwell on Wednesday and was advised to head straight home and rest up."
His absence was also felt on Thursday as he missed the film's official press conference, leaving it all up to director Noah Baumbach and castmates Sandler, Dern, Billy Crudup, and Emily Mortimer.
"Even movie stars get sick!" Baumbach joked about Clooney's exit at the press event, per Variety.
Despite his health issues, the actor is expected to attend the film's red-carpet world premiere.
George Clooney Was Recently Seen With His Wife, Amal, And Their Kids
The 64-year-old actor hung out with his wife Amal, their twins Ella and Alexander, and the rest of the "Jay Kelly" crew at Lake Cuomo early Thursday morning.
According to the New York Post, the entourage left Villa Olendra by boat for lunch at Villa d'Este before heading to the Venice Film Festival.
All seemed to be well with the "Wolfs" actor as he couldn't stop grinning from ear to ear while in the company of his wife. For the outing, he sported a short-sleeved navy blue shirt, black pants, and sunglasses.
The couple arrived in Venice on Tuesday and were seen entering the city by boat. Clooney wore a black polo shirt, beige pants, a brown belt, and matching loafers, while Amal kept things chic in a butter-yellow bodycon dress and white heels.
The Actor Talked About The Challenges Of Acting At 63
Clooney recently opened up to Vanity Fair about struggling with Baumbach's typical directing style, which involves multiple takes for the film, due to his age.
"I literally said to him, 'Noah, look, I love the script. I love you as a director, but I'm 63 years old, dude — I can't do 50 takes,'" Clooney said. "I don't have it in me. I've got the acting range from A to B."
Clooney has been acting for over four decades, picking up multiple awards in the process, including an Oscar.
In the film "Jay Kelly," he stars as a world-famous movie star in his 60s who must take a deep, introspective look at his life when he travels to an Italian film festival to receive a tribute award.
"When you're an actor in my position, at my age, finding roles like this aren't all that common," Clooney said of the movie. "If you can't make peace with aging, then you've got to get out of the business and just disappear. I'm now the guy that, when I go running after a bad guy, it's funny — it's not suspenseful. That's okay. I embrace all of that."
George Clooney Slams Critics Of His Acting Performances
Among the issues Clooney had to face in the movie was the long-standing criticism that he only plays himself in films and is not a versatile actor. However, the actor seemed unfazed by the talks, telling Vanity Fair that he doesn't "give a s-it."
"Do people say that I only play myself? I don't give a s-it," he said. "There aren't that many guys in my age group that are allowed to do both broad comedies like 'O Brother [Where Art Thou?]' and then do 'Michael Clayton' or 'Syriana.' So if that means I'm playing myself all the time, I don't give a s-it. … Have you ever tried playing yourself? It's hard to do."
He added that he has been the "beneficiary" of having his career "not be massively successful in lots of different directions," as he explained that he didn't "get successful" until he was 33 years old.
Clooney continued, "I'd been working for 12 years at that point. I had a real understanding of how fleeting all of it is and how little it has to do with you, quite honestly."
