Jay Kelly Shines at Venice Film Festival on August 29, 2025

Venice, Italy - Jay Kelly, Noah Baumbach’s latest Netflix feature starring George Clooney and Adam Sandler, received an 8.5-minute standing ovation from the Sala Grande audience during its world premiere tonight at the 82nd Venice Film Festival.

Simultaneously, co-writers and stars Laura Dern and Emily Mortimer made a memorable appearance on the Lido red carpet, each accompanied by her daughter. Dern walked alongside 20-year-old Jaya Harper, while Mortimer was joined by her 15-year-old daughter, May Nivola.

Industry buzz is already building around Adam Sandler’s performance as Ron, Kelly’s devoted manager. Critics are calling his supporting role a “gift” and predicting early Oscar contention for Sandler.