EXCLUSIVE: George Clooney Retirement Shock — A-Lister, 64, 'Has No Desire to Make Effort For New Roles'
The illness comes after a series of serious medical incidents.
Oct. 6 2025, Published 5:30 p.m. ET
George Clooney is quietly stepping back from Hollywood, with friends telling RadarOnline.com the Oscar-winning actor has "no real desire" to pursue new roles and is ready to quietly retire from the screen.
The 64-year-old star, long considered one of the industry's most bankable leading men, hinted in a recent interview that his priorities have shifted.
Clooney Is Winding Down His Career?
Clooney may be thinking of calling it quits.
After decades of success in film and television, Clooney has said he's "not in that mass rush to succeed anymore," adding: "I've had my career in many ways, and you know things were winding down in a way, so I get to be home with my kids a lot and it's fun.
"I'm still young enough that I can run around with them. That's going away quickly, but I can still do it right now."
According to a source close to the actor, Clooney's words reflect more than just a temporary break.
"George has reached a stage where he doesn't feel the need to prove anything," the insider claimed. "He's not chasing scripts, he's not lobbying for awards – he's done all that. These days, he's happiest at home with Amal and the twins. Work just isn't his focus anymore."
The actor recently declared he wants to spend more time with his children.
Another friend claimed: "He's not officially retiring, but he's also not putting in the effort to stay in the game. He's turned down several major offers this year simply because he couldn't be bothered with the schedule.
"He'd rather be in Lake Como than on a film set."
Clooney, who shares eight-year-old twins Ella and Alexander with his wife, human rights lawyer Amal, has spent much of the past few years dividing his time between their homes in Italy, Los Angeles, and Berkshire, England.
The couple recently celebrated their 11th wedding anniversary, with Clooney revealing they marked it with a low-key meal.
"We had a nice dinner night before last," he said at the time. Asked what the next 11 years might hold, he joked, "Mostly be me gumming bread because I'm 64, so I'll be 75."
'He's Over Hollywood'
Clooney shares two kids with his wife, Amal.
The actor, who rose to fame as Dr. Doug Ross on ER before transitioning into a celebrated film career with hits such as Ocean's Eleven, Michael Clayton, and Up in the Air, has also admitted that age has changed his outlook.
"There's no rhyme or reason for who gets to age and who doesn't," he said earlier this year. "So you should live as if you're not going to get to. And then, if you wake up one day and you're old, you've lived a really full life."
Industry insiders say Clooney's growing indifference toward acting has been apparent for some time.
One Hollywood producer said: "George has always had that cool detachment – even at the height of his fame, he was never desperate for roles. But now it's different. He's genuinely over Hollywood. He'd rather be behind the camera or doing humanitarian work than sitting in a makeup chair at five in the morning."
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The actor is said to be more focused on producing these days.
Despite the speculation, Clooney's creative ambitions haven't entirely disappeared. His production company, Smokehouse Pictures, which he co-founded with longtime collaborator Grant Heslov, continues to develop film and television projects.
However, his focus, sources say, is on producing rather than performing. Clooney has said he considers himself "the recipient of a lot of luck," but believes he's earned it through hard work.
"I think the only life lesson is to bet on yourself," he recently said. "You create opportunity for luck. You create enough opportunity and, every once in a while, you'll hit one."
