George Clooney reveals losing Thelma & Louise role to Brad Pitt

George Clooney has revealed that he once came close to landing one of the most iconic roles of the 90s, only to lose it to Brad Pitt, who still jokes about the moment decades later.

In an interview with The Times of London, the 64-year-old Hollywood veteran opened up about nearly being cast in Thelma & Louise, the 1991 film that launched Pitt’s movie career. Clooney, who was still working primarily in television at the time, said he had made it all the way to the final test for the role of J.D.

Clooney admitted that missing out on the role stung. “I didn’t watch Thelma & Louise for years 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***!”

Despite the initial frustration, the two actors eventually became close friends and frequent collaborators — but that hasn't stopped Pitt from poking fun at Clooney’s loss. “Oh yeah, he gives me s***,” Clooney said with a laugh. “But, of course, when I saw it, I was like, well, it had to be that guy.”

Clooney’s Jay Kelly co-star Adam Sandler also chimed in on the topic, recalling watching Pitt’s breakout moment in theaters. “When Brad took his shirt off, people went nuts. But it should have been you, Clooney,” Sandler joked.

Clooney and Pitt were not the only contenders for the memorable role. Grant Show and Mark Ruffalo also made it to the final screen tests, according to Geena Davis, who previously discussed the casting process on The Graham Norton Show in 2022.

Davis remembered reading lines with each of the finalists. “They all came in, each one handsome, they all had brown hair and were very talented. I didn’t care who it was going to be,” she said. But Pitt stood out instantly. “He’s so charismatic and so incredibly talented that I was screwing up his audition because I forgot to say my line.”

When the producers asked for her opinion, Davis kept it simple: “I liked the blonde one.”