George Clooney Refused to Watch This Feminist Classic After Losing the Role to Brad Pitt
George Clooney admits he avoided watching Brad Pitt’s star-making Thelma & Louise for years after losing out on the role of J.D., saying the sting of seeing his would-be breakout go to someone else was too much to take.
George Clooney says he straight-up dodged Thelma & Louise for years because Brad Pitt snagged the part he wanted. Yes, their friendly rivalry started with a role that basically kicked off Pitt's movie career.
The audition that stung
Clooney told Variety he made it all the way to the final test for J.D. in Thelma & Louise. Then Brad Pitt walked in and took it. Clooney admits he refused to watch the movie for a long time because he was annoyed, and he points out that, at the time, Pitt had mostly been doing, in Clooney's words, 'sitcoms and crap' — so losing the gig felt extra brutal. The part, of course, ended up being the rocket boost for Pitt's film career.
'I got to the final test for a role in Thelma & Louise. And, motherf*cker, Brad got it. I didn’t watch Thelma & Louise for years, because I was annoyed. The part launched his career in film.'
From rivalry to best buds (with a running joke)
Time did its thing. Clooney and Pitt later teamed up on the Ocean's movies and became actual best friends. Pitt still needles him about J.D. to this day — Clooney says he 'gives me sh*t' — but once Clooney finally watched the film, he had to admit the obvious: it had to be that guy.
Why Thelma & Louise hit differently
Released in 1991 and directed by Ridley Scott, Thelma & Louise was a feminist road movie way ahead of its time. The focus is squarely on Thelma and Louise and their ride-or-die escapade. Pitt shows up as J.D., a charming drifter who sparks a romance with Thelma and steals a few scenes in the process.
What it did for Brad Pitt (and where Clooney landed)
Pitt had a handful of credits before Thelma & Louise, but that movie was the breakthrough. After it, he stacks up A River Runs Through It (1992), Interview with the Vampire and Legends of the Fall (both 1994), Se7en (1995), and Fight Club (1999). That run turned him into a bona fide box office draw. Clooney, for his part, found his own launchpad a few years later and the two eventually met in the middle as A-list co-stars and partners-in-crime on screen.
Quick facts and where to watch
- Directed by: Ridley Scott
- Cast: Geena Davis, Susan Sarandon, Brad Pitt
- Release date: May 24, 1991
- IMDb rating: 7.6/10
- Rotten Tomatoes score: 87%
- Worldwide box office: $45 million
- Production company: Percy Main Productions
- Where to watch now: Kanopy
Would Clooney have made a great J.D.? Maybe. But in this case, the casting gods were on the money.