George Clooney brushed off criticism that he only plays versions of himself, telling Vanity Fair he “doesn’t give a sh–” about those claims. The actor argued that few actors his age get to work in both broad comedies like O Brother, Where Art Thou? and serious dramas like Michael Clayton or Syriana, and if that means he’s “playing himself,” so be it. Quoting his role in Jay Kelly—where he plays a 60-something movie star—Clooney joked that “playing yourself” is harder than it looks. He credited his grounded perspective to not finding major fame until age 33 with ER, after 12 years of struggling, which taught him how fleeting success is. Jay Kelly premieres at the Venice Film Festival later this month, hits theaters November 14, and streams on Netflix December 5.