George Clooney Is Done With On-Screen Kisses — Here’s Why

George Clooney, professional charmer and occasional space castaway, is tapping the brakes on big-screen romance. The Oscar winner says he is done with on-screen kissing, especially when the setup pairs him with much younger co-stars. And he is very clear about why.

Why he is tapping out of on-screen kissing

Clooney says the decision clicked into place after a real talk at home with his wife, human rights lawyer Amal Clooney, right around his 60th birthday. Aging, image, and comfort level all came into focus. He realized those romantic beats just did not feel right anymore. He points to a model he respects: the later-career path Paul Newman took, stepping away from kissing scenes and leaning into roles that fit where he was in life.

He explained to the Daily Mail that he can still keep up physically: he plays basketball with guys in their 20s and stays in shape. But he also did the math: 25 years from now, he will be 85, and no amount of granola bars changes that number. In other words, he is not pretending time is not time.

'Look, I am 63 years old. I am not trying to compete with 25-year-old leading men. That is not my job. I am not doing romantic films anymore.'

The rom-com resume he is moving past

• One Fine Day (with Michelle Pfeiffer)
• Out of Sight (with Jennifer Lopez)
• Up in the Air (with Vera Farmiga)
• Ticket to Paradise (with longtime friend Julia Roberts)

What this actually means

This is a real pivot for an actor whose calling card was effortless charm. He is not trying to hold the same space as 25-year-old leads, and he is not interested in playing romances opposite significantly younger women. The way he tells it, this is about alignment: who he is now, what feels right on screen, and what audiences will buy. The smirk is not going anywhere, but the kiss-off is, by choice.