George Clooney
Birthday:
6 May 1961, Lexington, Kentucky, USA
Birth Name:
George Timothy Clooney
Height:
180 cm
George Timothy Clooney was born on May 6, 1961, in Lexington, Kentucky, to Nina Bruce (née Warren), a former beauty pageant queen, and Nick Clooney, a former anchorman and game show host (who was also the brother of singer Rosemary Clooney). He has Irish, English, and German ancestry. Clooney spent most of this youth in Ohio and Kentucky, and grad...
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George Timothy Clooney was born on May 6, 1961, in Lexington, Kentucky, to Nina Bruce (née Warren), a former beauty pageant queen, and Nick Clooney, a former anchorman and game show host (who was also the brother of singer Rosemary Clooney). He has Irish, English, and German ancestry. Clooney spent most of this youth in Ohio and Kentucky, and graduated from Augusta High School. He was very active in sports such as basketball and baseball, and tried out for the Cincinnati Reds, but was not offered a contract.After his cousin, Miguel Ferrer, got him a small part in a feature film, Clooney began to pursue acting. His first major role was on the sitcom E/R (1984) as "Dr. Doug Ross". More roles soon followed, including "George Burnett", the handsome handyman on The Facts of Life (1979); "Booker Brooks", a supervisor on Roseanne (1988); and "Detective James Falconer" on Sisters (1991). Clooney had his breakthrough when he was cast as "Dr. Doug Ross" on the award-winning drama series, ER (1994), opposite Anthony Edwards, Noah Wyle, and Julianna Margulies.While filming "ER", Clooney starred in a number of high profile film roles, such as Robert Rodriguez's From Dusk Till Dawn (1996), and One Fine Day (1996), opposite Michelle Pfeiffer. In 1997, Clooney took on the role of "Batman" in Joel Schumacher's Batman & Robin (1997). The film was a moderate success in the box office, but was slammed by critics, notably for the nipple-laden Bat suit. Clooney went on to star in Steven Soderbergh's Out of Sight (1998), Terrence Malick's The Thin Red Line (1998), and David O. Russell's Three Kings (1999).In 1999, Clooney left "ER" (though he would return for the season finale) and appeared in a number of films, including O Brother, Where Art Thou? (2000), The Perfect Storm (2000), and Ocean's Eleven (2001). Collaborating once again with Steven Soderbergh, "Ocean's Eleven" received critical acclaim, earned more than $450 million at the box office, and spawned two sequels: Ocean's Twelve (2004) and Ocean's Thirteen (2007).In 2002, Clooney made his directorial debut with Confessions of a Dangerous Mind (2002), an adaptation of TV producer Chuck Barris's autobiography. This was the first film under the banner of "Section Eight Productions", a production company he founded with Steven Soderbergh. The company also produced many acclaimed films, including Far from Heaven (2002), Syriana (2005), A Scanner Darkly (2006), and Good Night, and Good Luck. (2005). Clooney won his first Oscar for Best Supporting Actor in "Syriana", and was nominated for Best Director and Best Original Screenplay for "Good Night, and Good Luck".In 2006, "Section Eight" was shut down so that Soderbergh could concentrate on directing, and Clooney founded a new production company, "Smokehouse Productions", with his friend and long-time business partner, Grant Heslov.Clooney went on to produce and star in Michael Clayton (2007) (which earned him an Oscar nomination for Best Actor), directed and starred in Leatherheads (2008), and took leading roles in Burn After Reading (2008), The Men Who Stare at Goats (2009), Fantastic Mr. Fox (2009), and Jason Reitman's Up in the Air (2009). Clooney received critical acclaim for his performance in "Up in the Air" and was nominated for several awards, including a Golden Globe and Academy Award. He didn't win that year, but took home both Best Actor awards (as well as countless nominations) for his role as a father who finds out his wife was unfaithful as she lay in a coma in Alexander Payne's The Descendants (2011). Throughout his career, Clooney has been heralded for his political activism and humanitarian work. He has served as one of the "United Nations Messengers of Peace" since 2008, has been an advocate for the Darfur conflict, and organized the "Hope for Haiti" telethon, to raise money for the victims of the 2010 earthquake. In March of 2012, Clooney was arrested for civil disobedience while protesting at the Sudanese embassy in Washington, D.C.Clooney was married to actress Talia Balsam, from 1989 until 1993. After their divorce, he swore he would never marry again. Michelle Pfeiffer and Nicole Kidman bet him $10,000 that he would have children by the age of 40, and sent him a check shortly after his birthday. Clooney returned the funds and bet double or nothing he wouldn't have children by the age of 50. Although he has remained a consummate bachelor, Clooney has had many highly publicized relationships, including with former WWE wrestler Stacy Keibler. In 2014, he married lawyer and activist Amal Clooney. Show less «
[discussing casting choices Mel Gibson and Nicolas Cage for Three Kings (1999) before he had signed] Luckily, both those guys were tied and ...Show more »
[discussing casting choices Mel Gibson and Nicolas Cage for Three Kings (1999) before he had signed] Luckily, both those guys were tied and gagged in my apartment, and that was a problem for the casting department. Show less «
I don't like to share my personal life... it wouldn't be personal if I shared it.
I don't like to share my personal life... it wouldn't be personal if I shared it.
[on the fact he had nothing to do with the breakup of Julia Roberts and Benjamin Bratt] I was too busy breaking up Tom and Nicole's marriage...Show more »
[on the fact he had nothing to do with the breakup of Julia Roberts and Benjamin Bratt] I was too busy breaking up Tom and Nicole's marriage. Show less «
[speaking about the 2003 start to the Iraq war] You can't beat your enemy anymore through wars; instead you create an entire generation of p...Show more »
[speaking about the 2003 start to the Iraq war] You can't beat your enemy anymore through wars; instead you create an entire generation of people revenge-seeking. These days it only matters who's in charge. Right now that's us -for a while, at least. Our opponents are going to resort to car bombs and suicide attacks because they have no other way to win. . . . I believe [Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld] thinks this is a war that can be won, but there is no such thing anymore. We can't beat anyone anymore. Show less «
It's not about an opening weekend. It's about a career, building a set of films you're proud of. Period.
It's not about an opening weekend. It's about a career, building a set of films you're proud of. Period.
Ninety percent of films are pretty mediocre, but they have a built-in audience and open on 3,000 screens.
Ninety percent of films are pretty mediocre, but they have a built-in audience and open on 3,000 screens.
Confessions of a Dangerous Mind (2002) bombed. But I can take it. Most of the films I've done haven't done particularly well. I'm surprised ...Show more »
Confessions of a Dangerous Mind (2002) bombed. But I can take it. Most of the films I've done haven't done particularly well. I'm surprised I'm continuing to work. Show less «
Directing is really exciting. In the end, it's more fun to be the painter than the paint.
Directing is really exciting. In the end, it's more fun to be the painter than the paint.
I don't believe in happy endings, but I do believe in happy travels, because ultimately...you die at a very young age, or you live long enou...Show more »
I don't believe in happy endings, but I do believe in happy travels, because ultimately...you die at a very young age, or you live long enough to watch your friends die. It's a mean thing, life. Show less «
We've been trying to push our involvement within the studio system, sort of push the things that we've learned from foreign and independent ...Show more »
We've been trying to push our involvement within the studio system, sort of push the things that we've learned from foreign and independent films through the '80s and push those things back into the studio system. Like Out of Sight (1998) isn't your standard studio film by any means; Three Kings (1999) wasn't the standard Warner Bros. kind of film. Show less «
Directors are the captains of the ship, and it's your job as the lead actor to make sure that the rest of the cast understand that by doing ...Show more »
Directors are the captains of the ship, and it's your job as the lead actor to make sure that the rest of the cast understand that by doing whatever he says. Show less «
See, the first thing about actors is, you're just trying to get a job; and you audition and audition and you finally get them. And you still...Show more »
See, the first thing about actors is, you're just trying to get a job; and you audition and audition and you finally get them. And you still consider yourself an auditioning actor. I auditioned for One Fine Day (1996), I wasn't offered that. So you're still in that 'Hey, I'm just trying to get a job' thing. Then, you get to the point where, if you decide to do it, then they'll make the film. That's a different kind of responsibility, and it usually takes a couple of films to catch up. And then you have to actually pay attention to the kind of films that you're making. Show less «
You got to think of things at their worst, not at their best. And Out of Sight (1998) was the first time where I had a say, and it was the f...Show more »
You got to think of things at their worst, not at their best. And Out of Sight (1998) was the first time where I had a say, and it was the first good screenplay that I'd read where I just went, 'That's it.'And even though it didn't do really well box office-wise-we sort of tanked again-it was a really good film. And I realized from that point on that it was strictly screenplay first. And then it becomes easier, because once you eliminate the idea of doing a vehicle. . . believe me, there's nobody who's encouraging us to make these films, not agents, not . . . we're not getting paid for these things, and it's not like we're going to make a mint. Show less «
[on making Ocean's Eleven (2001)] It was the easiest shoot ever for any actor, and we all knew it when we were doing it. We were like, it's ...Show more »
[on making Ocean's Eleven (2001)] It was the easiest shoot ever for any actor, and we all knew it when we were doing it. We were like, it's never going to be better than this. He [director Steven Soderbergh] was in hell because it was a really complicated film to put together. We were like, we're in Las Vegas, we go to work at one in the afternoon, and we gotta be done by six at night. Six hours of work. Steven was editing all night. Show less «
I'm a hybrid. I succeed in both worlds. I hope that selling out on Ocean's Eleven (2001) is not such a bad deal. The trade-off is, I get to ...Show more »
I'm a hybrid. I succeed in both worlds. I hope that selling out on Ocean's Eleven (2001) is not such a bad deal. The trade-off is, I get to go make something uncommercial that will probably lose money. Show less «
Steven [Steven Soderbergh] and I have a great relationship inside the studio system. We make the kinds of films we want and commercial films...Show more »
Steven [Steven Soderbergh] and I have a great relationship inside the studio system. We make the kinds of films we want and commercial films at the same time. Steven and I have lost a lot of money. We are way in the hole. But this is not a day job. I've got some cash. I have a nice house in Italy. I do OK. Show less «
It's true information is harder to get these days. When I was growing up there were three networks - three news shows, delivering the same i...Show more »
It's true information is harder to get these days. When I was growing up there were three networks - three news shows, delivering the same information. You took that information into your home and you formed your own opinions. Now we have 130 channels. You go to the channel that plays to your belief pattern. We start with different sets of facts, it's more polarizing. Show less «
[on Good Night, and Good Luck. (2005)] I'm not a snob, I like entertaining films as well. But when you do a film like this, or like Three Ki...Show more »
[on Good Night, and Good Luck. (2005)] I'm not a snob, I like entertaining films as well. But when you do a film like this, or like Three Kings (1999) - films that get you in a bit of trouble - it's fun to open up a debate. Show less «
[Responding to media reports that he had contemplated suicide following surgery] I think, if you listen to the piece, I certainly did not ta...Show more »
[Responding to media reports that he had contemplated suicide following surgery] I think, if you listen to the piece, I certainly did not talk about wanting to kill myself. I was talking about the idea of living for years in that kind of pain. Please don't use my words out of context. Show less «
An acting career usually has about a shelf life of ten years before people get sick of seeing you. It's a good thing to have a job to fall b...Show more »
An acting career usually has about a shelf life of ten years before people get sick of seeing you. It's a good thing to have a job to fall back on and I really do enjoy directing. Show less «
I doubt anybody gets taken seriously for very long. I'll be on some reality show in about six years going, Hey, I had a great year in 2006.
I doubt anybody gets taken seriously for very long. I'll be on some reality show in about six years going, Hey, I had a great year in 2006.
People thought I was Tom and Nicole's bodyguard. They'd come up and go, "Is it okay if I go up and ask for an autograph?' It was good. I'd c...Show more »
People thought I was Tom and Nicole's bodyguard. They'd come up and go, "Is it okay if I go up and ask for an autograph?' It was good. I'd charge 'em three bucks a person. Yeah, you gotta make some money off of that. Show less «
I'm the flavor of the month.
I'm the flavor of the month.
Run for office? No. I've slept with too many women, I've done too many drugs, and I've been to too many parties.
Run for office? No. I've slept with too many women, I've done too many drugs, and I've been to too many parties.
I know what my limitations are as an actor, but my strength is putting myself into a well-written part. When I get in trouble is when I have...Show more »
I know what my limitations are as an actor, but my strength is putting myself into a well-written part. When I get in trouble is when I have to fix it, or when I have to carry it on personality. Show less «
Here is my theory in debunking photographs in magazines. You know, the paparazzi photographs. I want to spend every single night for three m...Show more »
Here is my theory in debunking photographs in magazines. You know, the paparazzi photographs. I want to spend every single night for three months going out with a different famous actress. You know, Halle Berry one night, Salma Hayek the next, and then walk on the beach holding hands with Leonardo DiCaprio. People would still buy the magazines, they'd still buy the pictures, but they would always go, 'I don't know if these guys are putting us on or not.' Show less «
You never really learn much from hearing yourself talk.
You never really learn much from hearing yourself talk.
I don't live at full tilt the way I used to. You begin to hate waking up with the kind of hangover you get from going on huge benders with y...Show more »
I don't live at full tilt the way I used to. You begin to hate waking up with the kind of hangover you get from going on huge benders with your buddies. Also, since my neck surgeries, I've been forced to take things easier and not beat up my body the way I used to. I'm more cautious. Show less «
The idea that every time you do a film you're supposed to be tortured confuses me. I mean, guys who say "Oh, it's really tough, my character...Show more »
The idea that every time you do a film you're supposed to be tortured confuses me. I mean, guys who say "Oh, it's really tough, my character is really suffering" - come on. For us, even in the rotten ones, we've had a good time. I don't think you have to suffer. Show less «
We're the ones who talked about AIDS when it was just being whispered. And we talked about civil rights when it wasn't really popular. This ...Show more »
We're the ones who talked about AIDS when it was just being whispered. And we talked about civil rights when it wasn't really popular. This academy - this group of people - gave Hattie McDaniel an Oscar in 1939 when blacks were still sitting in the backs of theaters. I'm proud to be a part of this academy, proud to be part of this community, and proud to be out of touch. Show less «
You can only get so far without discernible talent - then you either work, or use cheap publicity tricks to keep the public's attention. Par...Show more »
You can only get so far without discernible talent - then you either work, or use cheap publicity tricks to keep the public's attention. Paris (Hilton) has no reason to complain if she is on the end of bad publicity. Show less «
[on what makes a man stylish] For me, a sense of humor is number one. It's certainly what's most attractive. It's not the first thing you no...Show more »
[on what makes a man stylish] For me, a sense of humor is number one. It's certainly what's most attractive. It's not the first thing you notice at 21, but it's the first thing you notice now. If celebrity is a credit card, I'm using my credit. My job is to try and find ways of talking about issues that move us forward. I don't make policy, but I can shine a light on faulty or good policy. The Not On Our Watch launch reached more than 9 million people. We need to focus global attention on the plight of the 2.5 million civilians who have fled their homes. Rather than talk about who I'm dating, let's talk about saving lives. Show less «
[on celebrity activism] You don't want to be a spokesperson unless you are absolutely committed to a cause because you can hurt it. I've bee...Show more »
[on celebrity activism] You don't want to be a spokesperson unless you are absolutely committed to a cause because you can hurt it. I've been asked to help represent environmental groups. I'm a big proponent of cleaning up the environment. I have two electric cars. But I also have a big weak spot because I've flown on private jets. However, I welcome any of these dumb pundits who make celebrities out to be bad guys to a discussion about Darfur. Because I've been there and I've met all the players, and I guarantee you the pundits haven't. Show less «
[on who will win the Best Actor Oscar in 2008] If you want my honest opinion, I think it's going to be Daniel Day-Lewis [for There Will Be B...Show more »
[on who will win the Best Actor Oscar in 2008] If you want my honest opinion, I think it's going to be Daniel Day-Lewis [for There Will Be Blood (2007)]. He sort of irritates all of us because he's so good. I'll tell you right now, I don't like him! Show less «
[on films made between 1964 and 1976] It's 12 years and you could find ten films a year that are masterpieces. They don't make those films a...Show more »
[on films made between 1964 and 1976] It's 12 years and you could find ten films a year that are masterpieces. They don't make those films anymore. You couldn't come near making those films. Show less «
Had I not got the Thursday night ten o'clock slot at ER (1994), if they'd put us on Friday night, then I wouldn't have a film career. That's...Show more »
Had I not got the Thursday night ten o'clock slot at ER (1994), if they'd put us on Friday night, then I wouldn't have a film career. That's luck, not my own genius, though I like to think it was. Show less «
I'm protected as an actor by a really good screenplay, number one; and then a really good director, number two; and then really good actors,...Show more »
I'm protected as an actor by a really good screenplay, number one; and then a really good director, number two; and then really good actors, number three - but first and foremost a good screenplay. You cannot make a good film out of a bad script. You can make a bad film out of a good script - easily. I've seen that happen before, but you can't do it the other way around; it always has to be the screenplay. Show less «
I didn't become really successful until I was in my thirties. I can still remember sitting on the closet floor of my buddy's house, complete...Show more »
I didn't become really successful until I was in my thirties. I can still remember sitting on the closet floor of my buddy's house, completely broke. My friends would want to go out to dinner, to get a hamburger, and I couldn't afford to go. They had the money to pay, but I didn't want them to pay. That happened a lot. At one point, I remember my buddy Brad loaning me a hundred dollars. He's now running our production company. I'm still paying that debt off, you know? Show less «
Here's your options: Live long enough to watch your friends die, or die young. Now, I'm not pessimistic at all. I'm just saying I realize th...Show more »
Here's your options: Live long enough to watch your friends die, or die young. Now, I'm not pessimistic at all. I'm just saying I realize that's true. I don't want to see any of my buddies die, and I don't have any interest in dying young, either. But I had to come to terms with what I'm not going to do. Show less «
I never thought Batman & Robin (1997) was going to be a great film. I thought it was a great opportunity for me. And suddenly we're film...Show more »
I never thought Batman & Robin (1997) was going to be a great film. I thought it was a great opportunity for me. And suddenly we're filming. The script isn't together. I'm just miserable in the suit, trying to make scenes work. That's not the way to make a movie. The thing is, it took "Batman & Robin" to get to the point where I am now. When I got in a position to greenlight a picture and get the picture made, I really had to adjust my thinking. Because when you're an actor, you're thinking about getting good roles. You go, "That's a great part!" And you sign on to make the movie. Only now, those movies are being greenlit because you're doing them, and when the reviews come out, you're being held responsible not just for what you did in the film, but for the entire film. From here on in, I realised, it's my responsibility. If I'm going to blow it, if I'm going to bomb, it's going to be on my taste. So I started out doing Out of Sight (1998) and Three Kings (1999) and O Brother, Where Art Thou? (2000) and making only films I'd go see. Now, that doesn't always end well. Sometimes a movie doesn't work. But the lesson of "Batman & Robin" was a great one. Show less «
I'd rather have a rectal examination on live TV by a fellow with cold hands than have a Facebook page!
I'd rather have a rectal examination on live TV by a fellow with cold hands than have a Facebook page!
If the movie makes money, I make money. If I don't, I've still made the movie I wanted to make.
If the movie makes money, I make money. If I don't, I've still made the movie I wanted to make.
I never wear makeup for movies and now it's starting to show. It's funny, because most male actors work with actresses who are considerably ...Show more »
I never wear makeup for movies and now it's starting to show. It's funny, because most male actors work with actresses who are considerably younger. But earlier in my career I was working with a lot of actresses who were my age or older so people always thought I was older anyway; and now I'm going through this thing with people thinking I'm about 60. But I'm kind of comfortable with getting older because it's better than the other option, which is being dead. So I'll take getting older. Show less «
[on the paranormal] I'm not a big believer in much of that. Everybody goes through déjà vu and things like that, but I don't really go for...Show more »
[on the paranormal] I'm not a big believer in much of that. Everybody goes through déjà vu and things like that, but I don't really go for that stuff. I find it mostly to be coincidence. Show less «
[on his friends keeping him grounded] I've got eight buddies: The Boys. They've been my friends for 20 years. Every Sunday we ride motorcycl...Show more »
[on his friends keeping him grounded] I've got eight buddies: The Boys. They've been my friends for 20 years. Every Sunday we ride motorcycles and play basketball together. For Christmas this year, the boys came out and there were new bikes sitting out there-new Indians for each of them. The best part of having money is sharing it with your buddies. I lived on their closet floors when I was broke and they had money and were working. They've been through this whole ride with me. So now, when someone comes up to me and says, "You're so brilliant," they look over at me and go, "Man, can you believe that shit?" I met them when I first moved out here, in acting classes. Richard Kind, who's on Spin City (1996), is one of them. When his father died of a heart attack, Richard called and said he was going to Trenton for the funeral. All the boys were immersed in work at that point and had no time, but I called them up and told them what happened. There were no commercial flights available, so I chartered a jet. We didn't tell him we were coming. We sat in the back of the synagogue and Richard was in front with his back to us. When he got up and started to talk about his dad, he saw us and started sobbing. He said, "I'm sorry, but I just saw my best friends back there." There was this amazing feeling that every one of these guys had dropped everything just to be there. That's what it's like. People like that keep you sane. [2000] Show less «
The truth is, most actors I know aren't assholes. They often get that reputation because people around them are assholes. The people around ...Show more »
The truth is, most actors I know aren't assholes. They often get that reputation because people around them are assholes. The people around you can treat people like shit and pretend they are doing it to protect you. Once, my assistant was rude to someone. I said, "You know, you represent me when you talk to people." So you have to be careful. And that's not to say people don't treat people badly in this business. I once had lunch with a movie producer who was completely dismissive and rude to our waiter, which told me all I needed to know about him. I know that someone like that will be nice to me right now - I'm in a position where he wants to be nice to me, since he needs something from me. But what happens if I'm not in that position anymore? If he treats everyone else dismissively, he'll treat me dismissively. He isn't the type of person you want to work with. [2000] Show less «
[n the downside of fame] In Los Angeles, there are a million famous people around, so you are left alone. They see Mel Gibson at the grocery...Show more »
[n the downside of fame] In Los Angeles, there are a million famous people around, so you are left alone. They see Mel Gibson at the grocery store, so they're not impressed with me. But if you go to any other town and walk into a bar, you can never have a normal experience. Once people have a few drinks, they get brave. All of a sudden, there is a crowd of guys going, "Dude!" and hanging on to me. They want to buy me a drink and sit down and talk. But I've got my friends, see. I don't want a bunch of guys coming over to buy me drinks. The funny part is what I end up doing: I'm polite and I sit and talk to them. I wind up doing the things a girl would do in the same sort of situation at a bar. [2000] Show less «
I'm different from a lot of guys. I don't go up to girls I don't know in a bar and ask them to dance. I never have. Never. I've never gone u...Show more »
I'm different from a lot of guys. I don't go up to girls I don't know in a bar and ask them to dance. I never have. Never. I've never gone up to somebody I don't know and asked them out. I just won't do it and never did, because I never wanted to take my ego, as fragile as any guy's, and hand it to some girl so that she could demolish it. To me it has always seemed like a stupid thing to do. So in terms of, like, "Hey, you want to go out?" I don't do it. [2000] Show less «
[on fame] Here's an example of how it works. I had never been to the Playboy Mansion and really wanted to go. When I finally did, it was for...Show more »
[on fame] Here's an example of how it works. I had never been to the Playboy Mansion and really wanted to go. When I finally did, it was for one of the Mansion's pajama parties, where I was hanging out with Leonardo DiCaprio and Jim Carrey. We were all sort of protecting one another; you don't want to seem like you're desperate. I grew up with the magazine, so naturally I wanted to see the Grotto. When I got there, I was cornered by about 15 people, most of them pretty girls. But it's not like you might imagine. Instead, they all wanted to have their picture taken with me. When that happens, it's like you're a cardboard cutout for people to stand next to. It's not like talking to a girl and getting to know her. At the height of it, when there were people pulling at me from every direction and it was at its most embarrassing, some guy comes over and says, "Look at this shit, man! You got it made! Chicks are all over you." Meanwhile, I was thinking how much easier it was before this. Then it was just about being a guy talking to a girl and all the other stuff that's so interesting about dating-that dance you do. You see somebody at a party and lock eyes and eventually get closer and closer to each other. Somehow you find a way to talk and maybe-all that stuff. That's a turn-on. That has been taken away from me. If you were to ask what I miss about the anonymity that I used to have, it's that experience, that slow and natural getting to know someone - that kind of electricity. [2000] Show less «
I'm a 39-year-old man. In the way I was raised, this is the time when you make your mark. In your 20s, you figure out what it is you're goin...Show more »
I'm a 39-year-old man. In the way I was raised, this is the time when you make your mark. In your 20s, you figure out what it is you're going to be. You do a lot of different jobs. By your late 20s, you sort of have some idea of what it is. Then you spend your 30s and a lot of your 40s making your mark. You spend your 50s being able to reap the benefits of the work that you've done. [2000] Show less «
In college, I basically partied a lot. You gotta understand. We're a very strict Catholic family. Curfew was at nine p.m. when I was a senio...Show more »
In college, I basically partied a lot. You gotta understand. We're a very strict Catholic family. Curfew was at nine p.m. when I was a senior in high school. So I got out of the house and thought, Oh my God! People don't ever really like to talk about this anymore, but there was a period of time when blow was considered OK, like it won't hurt you at all. It was almost mainstream. All the designer drugs were OK-Quaaludes and blow. So that was the time in college for me: Drugs and chasing girls. I came from a town of 1500 people to Cincinnati. I would visit class every once in a while and stop by and go, "How's everybody doing?" I was still a responsible kid, but I didn't take school seriously. I had jobs. I sold men's suits and shoes and worked in stockrooms of department stores, and I cut tobacco when it was the season. I was paying for my thing along the way. But I quit school. Show less «
[on a part he wished he had gotten] The part that Brad Pitt played in Thelma & Louise (1991). It was down to three actors, including Bra...Show more »
[on a part he wished he had gotten] The part that Brad Pitt played in Thelma & Louise (1991). It was down to three actors, including Brad and me, at one time. I read about five times with Geena Davis. I thought I was going to get it, but Brad did. The part catapulted him. I didn't watch the movie for a couple of years and then rented it on tape one night. I watched it and, of course, he's perfect in the role, better than I would have been. [2000] Show less «
[on working with David O. Russell on Three Kings (1999)] He'd throw off his headset and scream, "Today the sound department fucked me!" For ...Show more »
[on working with David O. Russell on Three Kings (1999)] He'd throw off his headset and scream, "Today the sound department fucked me!" For me, it came to a head a couple of times. Once, he went after a camera-car driver who I knew from high school. I had nothing to do with his getting his job, but David began yelling and screaming at him and embarrassing him in front of everybody. I told him, "You can yell and scream and even fire him, but what you can't do is humiliate him in front of people. Not on my set, if I have any say about it". Another time, he screamed at the script supervisor and made her cry. I wrote him a letter and said, "Look, I don't know why you do this. You've written a brilliant script, and I think you're a good director. Let's not have a set like this. I don't like it and I don't work well like this". I'm not one of those actors who likes things in disarray. He read the letter and we started all over again. But later, we were three weeks behind schedule, which puts some pressure on you, and he was in a bad mood. These army kids, who were working as extras, were supposed to tackle us. There were three helicopters in the air and 300 extras on the set. It was a tense time, and a little dangerous, too. David wanted one of the extras to grab me and throw me down. This kid was a little nervous about it, and David walked up to him and grabbed him. He pushed him onto the ground. He kicked him and screamed, "Do you want to be in this fucking movie? Then throw him to the fucking ground!" The second assistant director came up and said, "You don't do that, David. You want them to do something, you tell me". David grabbed his walkie-talkie and threw it on the ground. He screamed, "Shut the fuck up! Fuck you", and the AD goes, "Fuck you! I quit". He walked off. It was a dangerous time. I'd sent him this letter. I was trying to make things work, so I went over and put my arm around him. I said, "David, it's a big day. But you can't shove, push or humiliate people who aren't allowed to defend themselves". He turned on me and said, "Why don't you just worry about your fucked-up act? You're being a dick. You want to hit me? You want to hit me? Come on, pussy, hit me". I'm looking at him like he's out of his mind. Then, he started banging me on the head with his head. He goes, "Hit me, you pussy. Hit me". Then, he got me by the throat and I went nuts. Waldo, my buddy, one of the boys, grabbed me by the waist to get me to let go of him. I had him by the throat. I was going to kill him. Kill him. Finally, he apologized, but I walked away. By then, the Warner Bros. guys were freaking out. David sort of pouted through the rest of the shoot and we finished the movie, but it was truly, without exception, the worst experience of my life. Show less «
When I first started out in television, I took any job that came along. It was, 'Let's just get a job, any job'. I fought to get ER (1994) a...Show more »
When I first started out in television, I took any job that came along. It was, 'Let's just get a job, any job'. I fought to get ER (1994) and I got it and it changed my life. Then, when I started doing movies, the same thing happened. At first, I did anything that I could get. But I learned. In TV, I learned to focus on the script, but I didn't apply that lesson to movies. But the cliché is true: You can take a good script and make a bad movie. But you can't take a bad script and make a good movie. [2000] Show less «
I love Spencer Tracy. Love him. He's a hero of mine. I heard he never wore makeup, so I've never worn makeup, ever. I won't put it on in any...Show more »
I love Spencer Tracy. Love him. He's a hero of mine. I heard he never wore makeup, so I've never worn makeup, ever. I won't put it on in any movie. I'm dark complexioned, so I can get away with it. I cut my own hair. It's sort of still being scrappy. It makes you feel like a guy still. I still can take my motorcycle apart and put it back together again. It keeps you feeling like you're still a guy. You have to fight for that. What happens when you're famous is that you get a flat tire and come back and your assistants have fixed it for you. You'll come into a bar and it's really fun and exciting and a guy comes over and says, "Mr. Clooney, come with us", and they take you to a private room in the back. You're thinking, I don't want to be in here. I want to be out there. What the fuck am I doing in here? So you have to fight it as much as you can. It's possible to be a guy with your friends. You get on your motorcycles, you head out on the road. It's as good as it gets. [2000, Playboy Magazine] Show less «
[on The Ides of March (2011)] It's not a bad thing to hold a mirror up and look at some of the things we're doing [politically]. Everybody m...Show more »
[on The Ides of March (2011)] It's not a bad thing to hold a mirror up and look at some of the things we're doing [politically]. Everybody makes moral choices that better themselves and hurt someone else. And then we look at whether the means justify the ends. So The Ides of March could've been literally set in Wall Street. Show less «
That ego issue, which is always an interesting thing. What happens is, you get a modicum of success, and then it becomes about the strangest...Show more »
That ego issue, which is always an interesting thing. What happens is, you get a modicum of success, and then it becomes about the strangest shit you've ever seen. I am from Kentucky, okay? We try not to live in trailers. That is not something that...we don't brag about being in a double wide, or the largest trailer. And all of a sudden, somebody will come up on the set--and I've had this happen, where it's like, they're upset because their trailer isn't the same size. And you go, 'take my trailer,' because, honestly, that's not what I would consider something to brag about. And it becomes about certain things, and oftentimes it is people who haven't experienced it for a period of time, or people who are trying to hold on to something...being in a trailer is not fun. [2012, Newsweek Magazine Oscars Roundtable] Show less «
[on Paul Newman's performance in The Verdict (1982)] That was the first time I was very aware of good acting.
[on Paul Newman's performance in The Verdict (1982)] That was the first time I was very aware of good acting.
[on his support for President Obama's reelection] I fund raised for him [in 2008] I didn't do any campaigning. I really don't think it helps...Show more »
[on his support for President Obama's reelection] I fund raised for him [in 2008] I didn't do any campaigning. I really don't think it helps to have well-known, famous people campaigning for you, but you can do fund raisers. I'm a Democrat, I'm a believer in him, I feel like he's done a wonderful job and I think he's having a tough time in a very difficult environment. So I root for him, I root for the President of the United States. Show less «
[on working with the Coen Brothers] There's rarely a re-write on a Coen brother movie. The script they write is what we shoot. And it's grea...Show more »
[on working with the Coen Brothers] There's rarely a re-write on a Coen brother movie. The script they write is what we shoot. And it's great. Show less «
I'm trying to make movies in my life... that last longer than opening weekend. That's it, that's my whole goal. I don't have to make money; ...Show more »
I'm trying to make movies in my life... that last longer than opening weekend. That's it, that's my whole goal. I don't have to make money; I do films for scale and then, you know, I go do coffee commercials overseas, and I make a lot of money so I get to live in a nice house. ... And I don't give a shit. And people will go, 'Oh that's a sellout.' And you know what? Fuck you. Show less «
[on funding a spy satellite to monitor the activities of Sudanese president Omar al-Bashir] I want the war criminal to have the same amount ...Show more »
[on funding a spy satellite to monitor the activities of Sudanese president Omar al-Bashir] I want the war criminal to have the same amount of attention that I get. Show less «
It's hard when you get thumped. I've been proficient at failure. But the only thing you can do is say, "Here's what I won't do next time." I...Show more »
It's hard when you get thumped. I've been proficient at failure. But the only thing you can do is say, "Here's what I won't do next time." I was a baseball player in school. I had a good arm, I could catch anything, but I was having trouble hitting. I would be like, "I wonder if I'll hit it; just let me hit the ball." And then I went away for the fall, learned how to hit, and by my sophomore year I'd come to the plate and think, "I wonder *where* I want to hit the ball, to the left or right?" Just that little bit of skill and confidence changed everything. Well, I had to treat acting like that. I had to stop going to auditions thinking, "Oh, I hope they like me." I had to go in thinking I was the answer to their problem. You could feel the difference in the room immediately. The greatest lesson I learned was that sometimes you have to fake it. And you have to be willing to fail. Show less «
I did not attend a private boys' school, I worked in tobacco fields and in stock rooms, and construction sites. I've been broke more of my l...Show more »
I did not attend a private boys' school, I worked in tobacco fields and in stock rooms, and construction sites. I've been broke more of my life than I have been successful, and I understand the meaning of being an employee and how difficult it is to make ends meet. Show less «
When you're young you believe it when people tell you how good you are. And that's the danger, you inhale. Everyone will tell you you're a g...Show more »
When you're young you believe it when people tell you how good you are. And that's the danger, you inhale. Everyone will tell you you're a genius, which you are not, and if you understand that, you win. Show less «
I watch Batman & Robin (1997) from time to time. It's the worst movie I ever made, so it's a good lesson in humility.
I watch Batman & Robin (1997) from time to time. It's the worst movie I ever made, so it's a good lesson in humility.
[on Britain's Daily Mail] The worst kind of tabloid. One that makes up its facts to the detriment of its readers and to all the publications...Show more »
[on Britain's Daily Mail] The worst kind of tabloid. One that makes up its facts to the detriment of its readers and to all the publications that blindly reprint them. Show less «
[on Michelle Pfeiffer] She is so beautiful you might forget what a talented actress she is, but then you watch Married to the Mob (1988) or ...Show more »
[on Michelle Pfeiffer] She is so beautiful you might forget what a talented actress she is, but then you watch Married to the Mob (1988) or The Fabulous Baker Boys (1989) or a dozen other films, and you remember that she's a world-class actor...who just happens to be beautiful. Show less «
[on his marriage to Amal Clooney] I have someone who I can talk to about anything and someone who I care more about than I've cared about an...Show more »
[on his marriage to Amal Clooney] I have someone who I can talk to about anything and someone who I care more about than I've cared about anybody, so it's really nice. Show less «
[his response to the question asked by a student on Inside the Actors Studio (1994): "When you first started out and you were getting reject...Show more »
[his response to the question asked by a student on Inside the Actors Studio (1994): "When you first started out and you were getting rejected what did you find was the most effective method for you to prove that you were the right person for the role?"] That's the funny thing, you can't prove you are the right person for the role, that's one thing actors can never understand and I couldn't either what you have to remember about this is: the product you're selling is "you", this is the difference to any other business we're all salesmen the product you're selling is extremely and completely personal, it's you, if you're selling vacuum cleaners, you can say "I have another one here if you don't like that one" or if you're selling suits you'd say, "if you don't like that suit here's another suit", so when they say "they don't want you", it literally means they don't want "you" personally, and it hurts and it costs you something every time, the reason why actors are celebrated when they become celebrities is because they're taking risks that other people wouldn't take because it's embarrassing and humiliation is one of the greatest fears in the world actors risk humiliation every time they audition so you're going to have a tough thick skin and keep telling yourself "I still think I'm on the right track and I'm going the right way", you'll succeed as long as you're confident because you're also selling your coincidence, so good luck. Show less «
[describing his work ethic] When I make a movie, it,s four months out of my life. If I'm directing, it's a year or two out of my life. I'm g...Show more »
[describing his work ethic] When I make a movie, it,s four months out of my life. If I'm directing, it's a year or two out of my life. I'm going to enjoy what I do for a living first and foremost: I want to make a good film, secondly, I'm not going to work on a set where people are yelling, screaming and unhappy, thirdly, I am in the luckiest business in the world I'm very aware of "catching the brass ring". I'm very aware of the fact that if not for a Thursday night time slot on ER, I would't have this career, I'm very aware of that so I'm going to enjoy it to push the limits as much as I can, in terms of the kind of work I can do, the kind of films I can make. Show less «
I always apologize for Batman!
I always apologize for Batman!
[2016, when Bernie Sanders supporters protested outside his fundraiser for Hillary Clinton] Their T-shirts said, you know, 'You sucked as Ba...Show more »
[2016, when Bernie Sanders supporters protested outside his fundraiser for Hillary Clinton] Their T-shirts said, you know, 'You sucked as Batman.' And I was like, 'Well, you kind of got me on that one.' Show less «
At 52 I found the love of my life, I've never been happier in a relationship by any stretch of the imagination. Oftentimes, I feel like an i...Show more »
At 52 I found the love of my life, I've never been happier in a relationship by any stretch of the imagination. Oftentimes, I feel like an idiot talking to my own wife. Show less «
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