&34;He gives me s,&34; the &34;Michael Clayton&34; actor said of his &34;Ocean's Eleven&34; costar. George Clooney says Brad Pitt still teases him over winning Thelma & Louise role: 'I was annoyed' &34;He gives me s,&34; the &34;Michael Clayton&34; actor said of his &34;Ocean's Eleven&34; costar. By Wesley Stenzel :maxbytes(150000):stripicc()/WesleyStenzelauthorphoto32b61793a2784639af623f2ae091477e.jpg) Wesley Stenzel is a news writer at . He began writing for EW in 2022. EW's editorial guidelines November 29, 2025 8:31 p.m.

"He gives me s---," the "Michael Clayton" actor said of his "Ocean's Eleven" costar.

George Clooney says Brad Pitt still teases him over winning Thelma & Louise role: 'I was annoyed'

"He gives me s---," the "Michael Clayton" actor said of his "Ocean's Eleven" costar.

By Wesley Stenzel

Wesley Stenzel is a news writer at **. He began writing for EW in 2022.

EW's editorial guidelines

November 29, 2025 8:31 p.m. ET

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George Clooney and Brad Pitt at the Venice Film Festival in 2024. Credit:

JB Lacroix/FilmMagic

- George Clooney was "annoyed" that Brad Pitt beat him out for a star-making role in *Thelma & Louise*.

- The *Michael Clayton* actor says his future *Ocean's Eleven* costar still "gives me s---" about their early rivalry.

- Clooney "didn't watch *Thelma & Louise *for years," but eventually relented and realized that Pitt was the right man for the role.

Brad Pitt beat George Clooney out for a role that helped launch his career — and neither actor will forget it anytime soon.

During an interview with U.K. outlet *The Times *alongside his *Jay Kelly *costar Adam Sandler, Clooney discussed losing a star-making role to Pitt.

"I got to the final test for a role in *Thelma & Louise*," he said. "And, motherf---er, Brad got it."

The role, of course, was J.D., the attractive young drifter who briefly romances Geena Davis' Thelma as she distances herself from her husband Darryl (Christopher McDonald). The role marked a turning point in Pitt's career, as he began landing key roles in films from massive Hollywood filmmakers like Robert Redford and Tony Scott shortly after its release.

George Clooney at the Los Angeles premiere of 'Jay Kelly' on Nov. 11, 2025; Brad Pitt in 'Thelma & Louise'.

Alberto Rodriguez/Variety via Getty; MGM/Courtesy Everett Collection

Clooney, however, remained relegated to supporting roles on TV shows like the *Look Who's Talking* spinoff *Baby Talk* and the CBS drama *Bodies of Evidence* for most of the early '90s — and he maintained resentment toward Pitt for beating him out for the *Thelma* role.

"I didn't watch *Thelma & Louise* for years," the actor admitted, "because I was annoyed. The part launched his career in film. He was doing sitcoms and crap before, so when it was the thing that could've launched me? F---!!"

The *Michael Clayton* star said that Pitt still teases him about the *Thelma & Louise* rivalry.

"Oh yeah, he gives me s---," Clooney said before admitting that the *F1* star was the right person for the role. "Of course, when I saw it, I was, like, well, it *had* to be that guy."

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Sandler remembered witnessing Pitt's shirtless scene in the movie with an excited crowd.

"I saw that at the cinema and when Brad took his shirt off people went nuts," the *Happy Gilmore* actor recalled. "But it should have been you, Clooney."

Davis previously remembered Clooney complaining about losing the part to Pitt in a 2016 interview with *Good Morning America*.

"I was on a plane next to George Clooney by happenstance. We're chatting, and he says, 'You know, I hate that Brad Pitt,'" the *League of Their Own* actress recalled. "And I said, 'No, you don't, he's your friend.' And he said, 'No, I hate him because he got that part in *Thelma & Louise*.' And I said, 'Oh, were you interested in that part?' He said, 'Oh, couldn't you tell when I read with you?' And I said, 'Oh.'"

George Clooney and Brad Pitt at the Los Angeles premiere of 'Wolfs' in September 2024.

Steve Granitz/FilmMagic

Clooney and Pitt later became frequent collaborators, appearing in a multitude of projects together like 2001's *Ocean's Eleven* and its sequels *Ocean's Twelve* and *Ocean's Thirteen*. Clooney also directed Pitt in a small role in his directorial debut *Confessions of a Dangerous Mind. *In addition, the two appeared together in the Coen brothers' *Burn After Reading* and Jon Watts' caper *Wolfs*.

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Clooney recently said that he'll soon star in *Ocean's Fourteen*. Though there's no official word on which cast members will join him (besides Andy Garcia), the *Out of Sight* actor suggested that he hopes Pitt, Matt Damon, Julia Roberts, and Don Cheadle will all come aboard.

"They're all still really dear friends, so the chance to work together would be fun," Clooney told E! News in October.

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Published: December 01, 2025 at 09:00AM on Source: MANUEL MAG

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