George Clooney’s Health Journey and the Venice Scare Fans Can’t Forget

Actor George Clooney doesn’t miss premieres. So when he abruptly pulled out of cast dinners and press events for his film Jay Kelly at the Venice Film Festival in August 2025, fans immediately noticed. He was expected at cast dinners and press events, yet when the cameras flashed, George wasn't there.

Fans following the festival quickly noticed his absence. George was scheduled for press and promotional events on August 27, 2025, but he did not appear. For someone who rarely steps away from the spotlight, it raised concern and curiosity about what might be going on behind the scenes.

USA Today reported a representative for George confirmed the reason behind his absence in August 2025 was a sinus infection. He wasn't absent long, making his red carpet appearance with his wife, Amal Clooney. The couple looked amazing, but the concern continued as The Mirror reported that on multiple occasions, he was grasping his throat and telling people, "I can't speak!"

But that wasn't the first time his health has made headlines. Over the years, the actor has been candid about his health, sharing facts about his health with light-hearted humor. In 2023, Entertainment Tonight discussed George's history with Bell's palsy. He appeared on Jimmy Kimmel Live, and while Jimmy was showing a high school photo of him, George said, "I have Bell's palsy there, and half of my face is paralyzed."

In a 2020 GQ profile, George mentioned he had undergone neck surgery after a motorcycle accident in 2018 left him with chronic pain and disk issues.

GQ also reported, while shooting a scene for Syriana in 2005, someone kicked over the chair he was sitting in, and he tore his dura mater, which is the wrap around the spine that holds in the spinal fluid, causing the fluid to leak out of his nose. Health struggles are part of life, even when you are a Hollywood star. Unfortunately, aging is, too.

George has been candid about what it means to keep acting as he gets older. Speaking with Vanity Fair about working with director Noah Baumbach on Jay Kelly, he admitted he doesn’t have the stamina for endless takes anymore. “I literally said to him, ‘Noah, I love the script, but I’m 63 years old, dude - I can’t do 50 takes. I’ve got the acting range from A to B.'”

He went on to say, “When you’re an actor in my position, at my age, finding roles like this aren’t all that common. “If you can’t make peace with aging, then you’ve got to get out of the business and just disappear. I’m now the guy that, when I go running after a bad guy, it’s funny — it’s not suspenseful. That’s OK. I embrace all of that.”

George's willingness to talk openly about his limits, his age, and even missing high-profile events makes him more relatable than ever. It’s a reminder that even Hollywood’s most polished stars face the same battles with health and time as the rest of us.

George’s brief health scare in Venice may have rattled fans, but his quick return to the red carpet and his reflections on aging show he’s far from fading out. He’s embracing this chapter with humor and honesty. For George, it isn’t about outrunning time. It’s about owning it, one role and one red carpet at a time.