Clooney Recounts Battles with Brad Pitt Over Oscar-Winning ‘Thelma & Louise’ Role

In an interview with The Sunday Times, George Clooney revealed his enduring annoyance over losing the pivotal “J.D.” role to Brad Pitt in the 1991 film Thelma & Louise. According to reports from the source mentioned above:

Clooney stated he reached the final round of auditions for the part before it went to Pitt. The frustration, he said, lingered for years: “I got to the final test for a role in Thelma & Louise,” Clooney reportedly shared. “And, motherf, Brad got it.” He admitted that this setback prevented him from watching the movie until later.

Geena Davis, who starred alongside Pitt and Clooney, also weighed in on the casting process during a recent appearance. She recalled being asked to read scenes with each of the finalists, noting they were all “very handsome” actors – including George Clooney himself – competing for the part.

“I didn’t care who it was going to be,” Davis stated about the competition among Clooney and other unknowns at the time like Grant Show and Mark Ruffalo. But she did remember her own impression of Pitt: “He’s so charismatic and incredibly talented… I just forgot my lines.”

Davis’ comment allegedly led producers to prefer the actor they felt stood out most from the start, ultimately selecting Brad Pitt for the role that would become iconic.

Clooney eventually saw Thelma & Louise and acknowledged why Pitt secured the part. “He gives me s,” Clooney apparently conceded in a later recollection.