Julia Roberts and George Clooney — who was PEOPLE’s Sexiest Man Alive in 1997 and 2006 — joke about him earning the title for a third time

Julia Roberts says movie with George Clooney could be "terrible"

Should George Clooney be named PEOPLE’s Sexiest Man Alive for a record third time? Well, duh.

“Yes! Third time’s a charm,” says Julia Roberts, vouching for her longtime close friend and costar in the new romantic comedy, Ticket to Paradise.

Despite the vote of support for the sexy title hat-trick, both Roberts, 54, and Clooney, 61, have a few caveats.

“I need it a little more specific,” says the Oscar-winning actor, who was the magazine’s honoree in 1997 and 2006. “Sexiest Batman Alive.”

Adds Roberts: “Sexiest Man, once a Batman.”

“Sexiest Man, once a Batman, over 60,” Clooney continues.

“… who still has all his own teeth,” concludes Roberts.

Julia Roberts and George Clooney arrives at the Premiere Of Universal Pictures' "Ticket To Paradise" at Regency Village Theatre on October 17, 2022 in Los Angeles, California.

STEVE GRANITZ/FILMMAGIC

Support for his three-peat chances aside, Clooney has had a friend for life in Roberts — and vice versa — since the two met in 2000 ahead of shooting Ocean’s Eleven.

“This was just easy,” recalls Clooney of forging a fast friendship on the Vegas heist film 22 years ago.

“That’s how it felt with George,” says Roberts. “You just kind of go, ‘All right’ … He’s one of my people now.

The superstar duo stayed close over the years and went on to costar in four films together after Oceans.

“We have a similar approach to life,” says the Oscar-winning actress.

Off-screen, they’ve witnessed each other’s sweetest milestones: finding life partners and raising children (Roberts shares 17-year-old twins Hazel and Phinnaeus, and son Henry, 15, with her husband, cinematographer Danny Moder, 53; George and wife Amal, 44, a human rights lawyer, are parents to 5-year-old twins Ella and Alexander).

“Our lives expand in these beautiful ways,” says Roberts, known as “Aunt Juju” to the Clooney kids. Still, she adds: “We are the same goofy nuts we’ve always been.”