Hollywood Minute: George Clooney, Lady Gaga, Brendan Fraser make headlines in new films and VMA nods

George Clooney is taking on a role that hits close to home—playing a world-famous actor in the upcoming film Jay Kelly.

(CNN)-  George Clooney is taking on a role that hits close to home—playing a world-famous actor in the upcoming film Jay Kelly. In a newly released teaser, Clooney responds to critics questioning whether he’s simply playing himself, saying, “You know how difficult it is to be yourself? You try it.”

The film, directed by Noah Baumbach and co-starring Adam Sandler and Laura Dern, is set for a limited theatrical release on November 14th and will stream on Netflix starting December 5th.

Meanwhile, Lady Gaga is leading the nominations for the 2025 MTV Video Music Awards. She’s up for 12 trophies, including Video of the Year and Song of the Year, thanks in large part to her Grammy-winning duet with Bruno Mars, Die With a Smile. Mars follows closely with 11 nominations of his own. This year’s VMAs take place September 7th in New York City.

Also making buzz is Brendan Fraser’s new film Rental Family, where he plays a struggling actor in Tokyo who takes on roles in clients’ lives—from pretend relatives to romantic partners. As the lines blur between performance and reality, Fraser’s character begins to question what it truly means to connect. Rental Family hits theaters November 21st.