English star George Clooney has announced that after discussing his age with his wife, Amal Clooney, he will no longer be “kissing girls” in movies.
“I’ve been trying to go the route Paul Newman did — ‘Okay, well, I’m not kissing a girl anymore,’” Clooney, 64, shared in an interview. He added, “When I turned 60, I had a conversation with my wife. I said, ‘Look, I can still play basketball with the boys. I play with 25-year-old guys. I can still hang, I’m in shape. But in 25 years, I’m 85 years old. It doesn’t matter how many granola bars you eat, that’s a real number.’”
Clooney has built a successful career as one of Hollywood’s most beloved romantic leads. His filmography includes notable romance films like “One Fine Day” featuring Michelle Pfeiffer, “Out of Sight” with Jennifer Lopez, “Up in the Air” alongside Vera Farmiga, and “Ticket to Paradise” opposite Julia Roberts.
This recent decision may not come as a surprise; back in March, he mentioned to 60 Minutes that he was stepping away from “romantic films” altogether to pave the way for a new generation of leading men. “Look, I’m 63 years old. I’m not trying to compete with 25-year-old leading men,” he stated. “That’s not my job. I’m not doing romantic films anymore.”
Reflecting on his earlier experiences, Clooney recounted to the New York Times that he faced criticism regarding his on-screen kissing technique right from the beginning of his career. “I remember early on in my career, I had to do a kissing scene with this girl and the director goes, ‘Not like that.’ And I was like, ‘Dude, that’s my move! That’s what I do in real life!’”