Clooney explores price of fame in 'Jay Kelly'

Oscar-winning actor George Clooney is taking a hard look at the culture of celebrity in his latest film 'Jay Kelly', opening in limited release on Friday, portraying a star consumed by the machinery of his own fame.

Clooney plays the title role, a charming but conflicted film icon whose team - from publicist to personal assistants - depend on his success. "It becomes an industry, basically," Clooney told Reuters, reflecting on how Hollywood fame can easily spiral into an all-consuming enterprise.

Directed by Noah Baumbach and distributed by Netflix, the drama follows Kelly as he confronts the wreckage of his choices alongside his steadfast manager Ron, played by Adam Sandler. The supporting cast includes Laura Dern and Billy Crudup. Through flashbacks, the film explores Jay's rise to stardom and the personal cost of chasing approval and awards.

Clooney, 64, said his goal was to keep the audience rooting for a man who makes "some pretty crappy decisions" along the way. "It was more just about playing a character and trying to find a way to make it that you could still root for him," he said.

The 'Gravity' star admitted the story resonated with his own experiences in the entertainment industry, though he believes he has managed to avoid the traps that ensnare his on-screen alter ego. "It's easy to get sucked in," he said. "You have to be an active participant in who you are and what you do. You have to say, 'Well, no, I don't need that and I don't want that.'"

Clooney, who has balanced acting, directing, and activism for decades, said his focus has always been on the craft rather than the spotlight. "Your job is to serve the material," he said. "If it's good material, you'll be good at it. If it's not good material, you'll be bad at it. So I don't worry about the rest of it too much."

'Jay Kelly' marks Clooney's first collaboration with Baumbach and offers a self-aware meditation on fame, friendship, and redemption — a story as much about Hollywood as it is about the man behind the mask.