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Netflix’s Jay Kelly stars George Clooney and Adam Sandler in Noah Baumbach’s exploration of fame and identity – but who is the character at the centre of the drama?
After its initial screening in cinemas earlier this year, Jay Kelly has made its global debut on Netflix today (December 5). The film boasts a star-studded cast led by the renowned actor and director George Clooney, alongside Adam Sandler, Laura Dern, Billy Crudup, Riley Keough, Grace Edwards, Stacy Keach, Jim Broadbent, Patrick Wilson, Eve Hewson, and many more.
The ensemble also includes Greta Gerwig, Alba Rohrwacher, Josh Hamilton, Lenny Henry, Emily Mortimer, Nicôle Lecky, Thaddea Graham, Isla Fisher, Louis Partridge, Charlie Rowe. The screenplay for Jay Kelly was penned by Noah Baumbach and Emily Mortimer, with Baumbach, an Oscar nominee, also directing the film, which is already being touted as a potential Oscar contender.
Jay Kelly centres around the eponymous character (portrayed by Clooney) as he embarks on a journey of self-discovery, reflecting on his life and confronting his past and present. Accompanying him throughout this journey is his faithful manager Ron (Adam Sandler).
The narrative explores the crossroads between life’s regrets and significant triumphs, and our multifaceted identities.
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But, who is Jay Kelly? Is he a real person?
Jay Kelly is a fictional, iconic movie star navigating the twilight years of his career. While not based on a real person, the character of Jay Kelly conjures up images of legendary actors such as Gary Cooper, Cary Grant, and Robert De Niro, all of whom have had extensive and remarkable careers that have cemented their status in the annals of acting history, and who are all masters of transformation within their craft.
The film opens with Jay losing his mentor Peter (Broadbent), followed by a distressing encounter with his friend (Crudup). These two events cause Jay to sense a growing divide between his authentic self and the film star image that the public perceives.
Jay and Ron journey across Europe whilst the actor examines his dual identities, reflecting on previous film projects along the way.
Director Baumbach explained the origins of Jay Kelly’s character, revealing: “It was a compelling character and idea for me, but I couldn’t have really told you why then. I can say this now with hindsight; if you make a movie about an actor, you’re inherently making a movie about identity and performance. We come to points in our lives where we’ve settled on an idea of ourselves.”
Baumbach and Mortimer crafted the role of Jay Kelly specifically with Good Night, and Good Luck star Clooney in consideration. Upon receiving the screenplay, they received confirmation within 24 hours that he was committed to the project after the actor simply responded with “I’m in”.
When discussing why Clooney was the sole choice for Jay Kelly, Baumbach explained: “We all have a relationship with George Clooney as an actor and movie star from over the years. That’s what movie stars can do for us. They’re our avatars. We identify with them, but also there’s a certain kind of wish-fulfilment.”
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He continued discussing the character: “It’s a fantasy, but they give us a point of entry into the fantasy. You love watching them. And so in this case, it’s a movie about a movie star who is playing our human- ness and our vulnerabilities and our failings.”
Clooney also revealed his thoughts on portraying Jay Kelly, explaining he understood “how to play this part” and was drawn to the project due to Baumbach’s earlier works. He highlighted the differences between himself and Jay Kelly: “This character has a lot more regrets than I would have, because, luckily for me, fame came much later in my life. I got to figure out how to live life before I figured out how to be famous, and I don’t think this character did.”
He added that he’d witnessed people close to him, including his aunt, who’d achieved stardom at an early age and found it difficult to cope, especially when their celebrity began to fade. Clooney reflected: “I’ve always felt, again, very lucky that it took such a long time for me, but also it gave me a chance to learn how not to be Jay Kelly in real life.”
Jay Kelly is available to stream on Netflix now.
