Geena Davis has revealed that George Clooney wasn’t too happy about Brad Pitt being cast opposite her in Thelma & Louise rather than him.
Geena starred alongside Susan Sarandon in the award-winning 1991 film about two friends who go on the run from the law after a fishing trip ends in death.
Appearing on Monday’s Good Morning Britain to discuss her new memoir, Geena recalled how George had auditioned for the role of her character’s love interest, the drifter JD, before the part eventually went to Brad, which gave him his career breakthrough.
She said George had later joked to her during a shared flight that missing out on the part had made him “hate” his friend.
“I happened to be seated next to him on an airplane and he is very gregarious and chatty and wonderful. And at some point he said, ‘I hate that Brad Pitt’,” she said.
“Well no, he is like your best friend or something? And he said ‘No, because he got the part’.
“And I said, ‘Oh, did you want that part?’ and he said, ‘Couldn’t you tell when I auditioned with you?’”
Thankfully, George got over it and he and Brad have since become firm friends, starring opposite each other in the Ocean’s Eleven franchise and Burn After Reading.
Last month Brad – who himself scored People’s Sexiest Man Alive award not just once but twice – even name-checked George as one of his picks for most handsome man in the world in an interview with Vogue.
“You know in the acting world because it’s my day job… the immediate go-to is Paul Newman,” the 58-year-old revealed.
“Because he aged so gracefully. And by all reports [he was] a really special, giving, warm and truthful human being.”
He then added: “If I was gonna name someone present, well I gotta name that George Clooney fucker because why not?
“Because usually, I’m always taking him out, and he’s always taking me out. And this time, I’m gonna go the other way, just this once.”