Inside Jay Kelly: Release Date, Cast Lineup, Plot Teases — Everything You Need To Know
George Clooney headlines Jay Kelly, Noah Baumbach’s bittersweet comedy-drama co-written with Emily Mortimer—an intimate, razor-eyed portrait of a superstar and the manager who guards his legacy, probing fame, loyalty, and the cost of staying on top.
Noah Baumbach has a new one, and it is very much in his lane: a sharp, bittersweet comedy-drama about a megastar trying to figure out who he is when the applause dies down. It is called 'Jay Kelly,' and yes, that lead is George Clooney. The twist I did not know I wanted: Adam Sandler as his ride-or-die manager.
What this is
'Jay Kelly' is directed by Noah Baumbach from a script he co-wrote with Emily Mortimer. It is a character piece that pokes at celebrity culture while actually caring about the people inside it. Think guilt, legacy, loyalty, and the weird math of fame, with a tone that slides between funny and quietly bruising. Nicholas Britell handles the score, which tells you the vibe they are aiming for.
The movie is produced by Pascal Pictures, Heyday Films, and NB/GG Pictures, with Netflix distributing.
Festival run and release plan
The film premiered at the 82nd Venice International Film Festival on August 28 (2025) and snagged a Golden Lion nomination out of the gate. It kept making the rounds after that, screening at the 63rd New York Film Festival and the 69th BFI London Film Festival.
Release-wise: it opened in select US theaters on November 14, 2025. If you are holding out for the couch, it hits Netflix on December 5, 2025.
How it is landing
Early response is solid-if-not-ecstatic, which honestly tracks for a Baumbach mood piece. As of now, it is at 81% on Rotten Tomatoes, a 66 on Metacritic, and 6.6/10 on IMDb.
Who is in it
- George Clooney as Jay Kelly, a famous actor wrestling with who he is after decades in the spotlight
- Charlie Rowe as Young Jay Kelly
- Adam Sandler as Ron Sukenick, Jay's fiercely loyal manager
- Laura Dern as Liz, Jay's publicist
- Billy Crudup as Timothy, Jay's friend who never quite got his big break
- Louis Partridge as young Timothy
- Riley Keough as Jessica Kelly, Jay's eldest daughter
- Grace Edwards as Daisy Kelly, Jay's youngest daughter
- Plus: Stacy Keach, Jim Broadbent, Patrick Wilson, Greta Gerwig, Isla Fisher, Emily Mortimer, Nicòle Lecky, Thaddea Graham, Eve Hewson, Alba Rohrwacher, Lenny Henry, Josh Hamilton, and more
What it is about
Clooney plays Jay Kelly, a Hollywood lifer whose career looks immaculate from the outside, while the personal stuff is frayed. The domino that tips everything: the death of Peter Schneider, the director who gave Jay his first big break. Jay turned down Schneider's plea to help finance a new project before he died, and that refusal hits him hard.
In classic damage-control-meets-midlife-crisis fashion, Jay ropes in his manager Ron and his publicist Liz for a quick Europe run, with a specific goal tucked inside the tour: reconnect with his youngest daughter, Daisy, before she heads off to college. What starts as a practical itinerary becomes a memory trip with some uncomfortable pit stops — old friends, old choices, and the version of himself Jay built to survive the machine. The question hanging over all of it is simple and not: when the spotlight moves on, what is left of Jay Kelly?
Bottom line
If you are into Baumbach's blend of prickly humor and emotional body shots, this one checks the boxes. It is a thoughtful Hollywood satire and a sincere character study at the same time — with Clooney and Sandler playing an oddly perfect duo. In theaters now (select US) and streaming on Netflix December 5, 2025.