Clooney Says Losing ‘Thelma & Louise’ Role to Pitt Fueled Years of Frustration

George Clooney is opening up about the Hollywood near-miss that stuck with him for decades — losing a star-making role to Brad Pitt.

According to Fox News, during a recent interview with The Times, the 64-year-old actor revealed he once came close to landing the part of J.D., the charming drifter and thief who seduces Geena Davis’ character in the 1991 classic Thelma & Louise.

That role ultimately went to Pitt, launching him into instant stardom.

“I got to the final test for a role in ‘Thelma & Louise.’ And, motherf—–, Brad got it,” Clooney said.

At the time, Clooney was still known mostly for television roles, while Pitt — then just on the cusp of breaking out — used J.D. as the springboard that made him a household name.

In the film, Thelma (Geena Davis) and Louise (Susan Sarandon) cross paths with J.D. at a roadside motel as they flee the scene of a crime. Thelma, stuck in an unhappy marriage, is drawn to him — only to be betrayed in a way that accelerates the movie’s dramatic turn.

After the film’s success, Pitt became one of Hollywood’s fastest-rising stars. Clooney, meanwhile, wouldn’t get his own breakout until several years later, when he joined ER as Dr. Doug Ross.

Clooney admitted he harbored resentment for years.

“I was in TV,” he said. “I was making a good living, but back then actors would say, ‘Well, I’m a film actor — I just happen to be doing TV.’”