George Clooney’s Rule on Set

George Clooney had a special rule on the set of his new film: he didn’t want the cast to refer to Adam Sandler by his nickname "Sandman". This was done in order to take the comedian more seriously as an actor.

The Reasoning Behind the Rule

At the film’s AFI Fest premiere, Clooney explained the reasoning behind this rule. He said that he wanted to make sure Sandler wasn’t making fun of his incredible talent. Clooney stated, "You’re treated the way you treat yourself. This was a very different kind of role for Adam and I wanted to make sure he wasn’t making fun of his incredible talent. He likes to deflect and I said, ‘You know what, dude, you’re really good in this movie and you’re a really good actor and let’s not just joke around.’"

The Film’s Plot

In the Netflix film, Clooney plays the film star Jay Kelly, who suddenly wakes up from his life and goes on a trip through Europe with his loyal manager Ron, played by Sandler.

Sandler’s Response to Clooney’s Rule

In response to Clooney’s rule, Sandler joked that he still calls himself the Sandman, but he appreciated the gesture. He said, "He’s just very protective of me. He’s a really nice guy. We were shooting all these scenes together and getting deep together, and he said, ‘I just want people to realize this,’ and I said, ‘I’m fine, I just like working hard,’ and he said, ‘No.’ He’s very nice, he tries to take care of me.”

The Writing Process

Noah Baumbach, along with co-writer Emily Mortimer, wrote the role specifically for Sandler. The actor explained that the film is not just about Hollywood, but about anyone who’s working and trying to do their best. He said, "It’s for anyone who’s working and trying to do the best they can at work and the sacrifices that come with their family and themselves; things that you miss when you throw yourself into something and you’re deep into something and that stuff happens over there – you tend to ask yourself what is more important, this or that? And it’s a fight."

The Cast’s Experience

Greta Gerwig plays Sandler’s wife in the film, and Sandler praised her, saying she was fantastic. He also mentioned that their characters’ families became close, with Gerwig’s son and his daughter doing scenes together. Baumbach, who is married to Gerwig in real life, said he realized she would play the role "pretty early on". He joked that she couldn’t play Jay Kelly or Ron, but she could play pretty much anyone else.

Release Date

The film hits select theaters on November 14th and begins streaming on Netflix on December 5th.