Clooney attends Venice premiere despite illness

Clooney attends the Venice premiere of Jay Kelly despite a sinus infection, underscoring his commitment to the project.

Clooney Pushes Through Sinus Infection at Venice Premiere

Venice welcomed back George Clooney and Noah Baumbach for the world premiere of Jay Kelly, which drew a long standing ovation for Baumbach’s film. Clooney, who plays the title character, had pulled back from press events due to a bad sinus infection but still appeared on the red carpet with his wife Amal Clooney. Earlier, he missed the press conference and cut short media commitments, prompting jokes from Baumbach about the actor’s health.

The film is one of Netflix’s competition titles at the festival and is positioned for awards consideration, with Clooney and Sandler seen as strong bets for the Oscar season. The cast also includes Laura Dern, Billy Crudup and Emily Mortimer, and Clooney’s appearance was accompanied by his longtime agent Bryan Lourd. Critics were mixed on the film, while praise went to Sandler for a subtle performance that critics say brings a quiet intercity tension to the story.

The episode highlights how far a star’s presence can go in shaping a premiere’s energy, even when health constraints loom. Clooney’s willingness to push through illness signals a showmanship standard in Hollywood, where the red carpet and the awards race remain intertwined with a producer’s marketing plan. Netflix’s framing of Jay Kelly as an awards contender also reflects how streaming platforms use festival visibility to signal prestige and secure strong critic reception.

Highlights

The trail from Venice to the awards season may be crowded, but the health story behind the glamour remains part of the narrative.