George Clooney

Date of Birth
6 May 1961, Lexington, Kentucky, USA

Birth Name
George Timothy Clooney

Nickname
Gorgeous George

Height
5' 11" (1.80 m)

Mini Biography

Born in Lexington, Kentucky, as son of Nick Clooney, a TV newscaster of many years, who hosted a talk show at Cincinnati and often invited George into the studios already at the age of 5. Avoiding competition with his father, he quit his job as broadcast journalist after a short time.

Studied a few years at Northern Kentucky University. Failed to join the Cincinnati Reds baseball team. He came to acting when his cousin, Miguel Ferrer, got him a small part in a feature film. After that, he moved to L.A. in 1982 and tried a whole year to get a role while he slept in a friend's closet. His first movie, together with Charlie Sheen, stayed unreleased but got him the producers' attention for later contracts.
IMDb Mini Biography By: Tom Zoerner

Spouse
Talia Balsam (15 December 1989 - September 1993) (divorced)

Trade Mark

Often plays scoundrels that are likable and have redeeming qualities.

His movies often reflect his liberal political beliefs.

Trivia

Best man at the wedding of Richard Kind.

Tried out for a position on the Cincinnati Reds baseball team.

He says he will never get married again, nor have any children, but Michelle Pfeiffer and Nicole Kidman both bet $10,000 each that he would be a father before he turned 40. They were both wrong, and each sent him a check. He returned the money, betting double or nothing that he won't have kids by age 50.

Waged war against the paparazzi by boycotting "Entertainment Tonight" (1981), the sister show of "Hard Copy" (1989), which had filmed Clooney without his permission.

Was voted "Sexiest Man Alive" by People Magazine. [1997]

Was voted "Best Dressed Male Television Star." [1997]

Chosen by People (USA) magazine as one of the "50 Most Beautiful People in the World." [1996]

Cousin is actor Miguel Ferrer, Rafael Ferrer and Debby Boone.

Uncle is the late actor José Ferrer.

Nephew of singer/actress Rosemary Clooney and Betty Clooney.

Education: Northern Kentucky University

Owned a pet pig named Max, given to him by Kelly Preston, for eighteen years. Max died on December 1, 2006.

Studied acting at The Beverly Hills Playhouse.

Coincidentally, his first steady TV role was in the medical sitcom "E/R" (1984) that was based in Chicago and co-starred Elliott Gould, Mary McDonnell and Jason Alexander. Ten years later it would take another TV series "ER" (1994) (also based in Chicago) to finally launch him into the galaxy of superstardom.

He was talk-show host Rosie O'Donnell's very first guest when her TV show debuted.

Committed to O Brother, Where Art Thou? (2000) before even reading a script.

Reportedly got into a fistfight with Three Kings (1999) director David O. Russell on the set. Russell had yelled and derided a few extras out of frustration and Clooney didn't appreciate it. Russell has since said, "I wouldn't make another George Clooney movie if they paid me $20 million."

Good friends with actor Mark Wahlberg.

Dated Renée Zellweger and Mariella Frostrup.

Has stated in several interviews that he has suffered from bleeding stomach ulcers and is still on medication for stomach pain to this day.

Ranked #27 on Premiere's 2002 Power 100 List.

Frequently stars in movies that revolve around some type of robbery: Out of Sight (1998), From Dusk Till Dawn (1996), Three Kings (1999), O Brother, Where Art Thou? (2000), Ocean's Eleven (2001), Welcome to Collinwood (2002), Ocean's Twelve (2004), and (announced) Ocean's Thirteen (2007).

Was once the son-in-law of Martin Balsam and Joyce Van Patten while he was married to Talia Balsam.

Second cousin of Gabi Ferrer.

One of People Magazine's "Top 50 Bachelors" (2002).

Was a pallbearer at the funeral of his late aunt, Rosemary Clooney.

He got his start in a movie starring his cousin, Miguel Ferrer. Later, after Clooney had established himself on "ER" (1994), Ferrer made a guest appearance on the very first show. George's aunt, Rosemary Clooney, made guest appearances on two shows the first month "ER" (1994) aired.

Ranked #29 in Premiere's 2003 annual Power 100 List.

Is the sixth actor to play Batman.

No. 3 of 10 Top Sexiest Men in People magazine. (2003)

His voice was dubbed for the singing moments in O Brother, Where Art Thou? (2000).

Heads his own film and television production company, Maysville Pictures.

Broke up with girlfriend Krista Allen (2004).

Shared an apartment with actor Thom Mathews during the early 1980s.

Dated Céline Balitran from 1996 to 1999.

Was the second man, after Richard Gere, to make an appearance on the cover of Vogue magazine.

Ranked #16 on VH1's "100 Hottest Hotties."

Rode a bicycle to get to auditions as a struggling actor.

Son of actor and AMC host Nick Clooney and Nina Warren Clooney.

He loves the show "South Park" (1997). He got a hold of Trey Parker, the creator of the series, and asked for a part in an episode. He was given the role of "Sparky," the gay dog.

Is of Irish-American descent.

At 43, he was voted sexiest male celebrity in a 'Naughty Forties' poll conducted for UK television station FX.

Shared an L.A. home with Kelly Preston when both were struggling actors.

Auditioned five times for Ridley Scott for the role of J.D. in Thelma & Louise (1991), a role that ultimately went to future friend Brad Pitt and catapulted Pitt to super-stardom.

Born 2:48 AM, EST.

Best friend is Richard Kind.

He loves beer. He does voiceovers for Budweiser TV commercials and allegedly had a beer keg installed in his dressing room during filming of Ocean's Eleven (2001).

Lived in a friend's closet while struggling as an actor in L.A., early in his career.

Is a Dallas Mavericks fan.

Received the first "Spirit of Independence Award" of the Los Angeles Film Festival and Find Independent (FIND). [June, 2005]

He and his Ocean's Eleven (2001) and Ocean's Twelve (2004) co-stars, Julia Roberts, Brad Pitt and Elliott Gould, and Bruce Willis who did a cameo in Ocean's Twelve as himself, all have guest-starred on the TV show "Friends" (1994), though not in the same episodes.

His relationship with Krista Allen, whom he met on the set of Confessions of a Dangerous Mind (2002), ended after 2 years. [March 2004]

Broke off relationship with Lisa Snowdon after 5 years. [June 2005]

Appears on the cover of the first Men's Vogue. (2005)

After an accident on the set of his movie Syriana (2005), he suffered from back pain, bad headaches, and memory loss. After several spine surgeries, he fully recovered and is fine now. [October 2005]

Sought the role of Jack in Sideways (2004). However, the film's director, Alexander Payne, felt that he was too big a star, and turned him down in favor of Thomas Haden Church.

Owns a villa in Laglio at Lake Como, Italy, where he lives several months of the year.

In winning the Best Supporting Actor Oscar for Syriana (2005), he becomes the second generation of his family to win an Oscar. His uncle, José Ferrer, won a Best Actor Oscar for playing in Cyrano de Bergerac (1950).

Is the first (and only) actor who played Batman (in Batman & Robin (1997) to win an Oscar (for Best Supporting Actor in Syriana (2005)).

Frequently involves himself in projects involving the "Golden Age" of television. For example, he produced and starred in _Fail Safe (2000) (TV)_, a throwback to the live television plays of the 1950s and 1960s; he directed and appeared in Confessions of a Dangerous Mind (2002), about Chuck Barris's' career in early game shows; and he directed, wrote, and appeared in Good Night, and Good Luck. (2005), about Edward R. Murrow's battle with Senator Joseph McCarthy.

Ranked #21 on Premiere's 2006 "Power 50" list. Had ranked #43 in 2005.

Turned down the role of Sgt. John McLoughlin in World Trade Center (2006).

As of 2006, he is the only regular cast member from "ER" (1994) to win an Oscar (for Best Supporting Actor in Syriana (2005)).

Was originally to star in Jack Frost (1998) but chose to do Batman & Robin (1997) instead. His part went to Michael Keaton, who had previously starred as Batman in Batman (1989) and in Batman Returns (1992).

Played a gangster in seven movies: From Dusk Till Dawn (1996), Out of Sight (1998), O Brother, Where Art Thou? (2000), Ocean's Eleven (2001), Welcome to Collinwood (2002), Ocean's Twelve (2004), and Ocean's Thirteen (2007).

He and his producing partner Steven Soderbergh have decided to close down their Section Eight production company after six years of working partnership. [August 2006]

He and Grant Heslov founded production company Smoke House after his production company Section Eight closed down.

He auditioned for the role of Mr. Blonde/Vic Vega in Reservoir Dogs (1992), but was turned down.

People Magazine's "Sexiest Man Alive". [2006]

Is frequently cast as a soldier, as seen in The Thin Red Line (1998), The Peacemaker (1997), Three Kings (1999), and The Good German (2006).

Personal stunt doubles are stunt men Brad Martin, Troy Hartman and James E. Mitchell.

His famed "Roman haircut" was actually an accident. While filming From Dusk Till Dawn (1996), he wanted to make his character Seth Gecko look really crazy with a chopped off hairstyle. But the haircut became popular and turned into a positive.

Suffered from Bell's palsy for a time while he was in high school.

In December 2006, he traveled to China and Egypt to make a personal plea to Chinese and Egyptian officials to use their ties with the Sudanese government to help stop the violence in the Darfur region.

Lives at Lago di Como in Italy.

Was considered for the part of Reed Richards in Fantastic Four (2005).

His The Peacemaker (1997) co-star Nicole Kidman presented him his Best Supporting Actor Oscar in 2006.

2001: Voted Most Eligible Bachelor by People Magazine.

Although he grew up working in tobacco fields, Clooney disliked the smell and never took up smoking. His parents were non-smokers, although many of his aunts and uncles did.

In September 2006 he addressed the United Nations Security Council, urging it to act over Darfur.

Helped celebrate a plan to rebuild a hospital in hurricane-devastated Louisiana alongside former President George Bush [George H. W. Bush]. The pair appeared outside the courthouse in Cameron Parish, the only surviving building in the town following Hurricane Rita. Bush presented local officials with a check for $2 million from the Bush-Clinton Katrina fund. The money will help run South Cameron Memorial Hospital once it has been rebuilt. Former "ER" (1994) star Clooney quipped, "There is good news in all of this, which is that when the hospital gets up and running, I will not be doing any of the medical procedures" (20 December 2006).

2007 - Ranked #13 on EW's The 50 Smartest People in Hollywood.

In 2007, Forbes Magazine estimated his earnings for the year at $25 million.

Supports Senator Barack Obama's bid to win the Democratic nomination for the 2008 presidential election.

Least favorite movies from his filmography include: Batman & Robin (1997), The Peacemaker (1997), etc. [2008]

Personal favorite movies from his filmography include: Out of Sight (1998), Three Kings (1999), O Brother, Where Art Thou? (2000), Good Night, and Good Luck. (2005), etc. [2008]

He and his girlfriend, Sarah Larson, had an accident in 2007 while riding a motorcycle. She broke some toes, and Clooney broke a rib.

Turned down two roles which went to Kevin Kline: "Artemus Gordon" in Wild Wild West (1999) and "Guy Noir" in A Prairie Home Companion (2006).

Merited a place in Time magazine's "100 Most Influential People in the World" (Artists & Entertainers section) with a tribute written by Roseanne (Issue May 12, 2008).

Broke up with Sarah Larson [June, 2008].

His palatial villa overlooking Italy's Lake Como comprises 15 rooms, a wine cellar, and a master bedroom suite atop three floors. In his garage Clooney keeps his collection of Piaggio motorbikes. Docked at his pier is a Colombo classic powerboat.

Quit the WGA in April 2008 after the union turned down his wish to be credited as a co-writer for Leatherheads (2008). He felt that he was let down by the union.

His favourite song is "Destnation Moon" by Dinah Washington and his favourite novel is Leo Tolstoy's "War and Peace".

Friend of Rande Gerber.

On the DVD commentary for Good Night, and Good Luck. (2005), George Clooney says that shortly after he met Grant Heslov in 1982, Heslov loaned Clooney $200.00 to buy his first set of headshots, and they have been friends ever since (and later writing and producing partners).

Close friends with actress 'Julia Roberts' and actor 'Brad Pitt'.

Boyfriend of Elisabetta Canalis [July 28, 2009].

Personal Quotes

Discussing possible casting choices Mel Gibson and Nicolas Cage for Three Kings (1999) before he had signed to the movie: "Luckily, both those guys were tied and gagged in my apartment, and that was a problem for the casting department."

I don't like to share my personal life... it wouldn't be personal if I shared it.

"I was too busy breaking up Tom and Nicole's marriage." -quip on the fact he had nothing to do with the breakup of Julia Roberts and Benjamin Bratt

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."

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.

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.

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 enough to watch your friends die. It's a mean thing, life.

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.

...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.

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.

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.

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."

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.

Steven [Soderberg] 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.

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.

"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." [On Good Night, and Good Luck. (2005)]

"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." [Responding to media reports that he had contemplated suicide following surgery]

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.

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 charge 'em three bucks a person. Yeah, you gotta make some money off of that.

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.

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.

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.'

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 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.

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.

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.

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.

Asked 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.

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.

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!"

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. (On films made between 1964 and 1976)

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.

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.

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?

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.

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.

I'd rather have a rectal examination on live TV by a fellow with cold hands than have a Facebook page!

Salary
Ocean's Thirteen (2007) $15,000,000
Syriana (2005) $350,000
Good Night, and Good Luck. (2005) $1
Intolerable Cruelty (2003) $15,000,000
Ocean's Eleven (2001) $20,000,000
The Perfect Storm (2000) $8,000,000
O Brother, Where Art Thou? (2000) $1,000,000
Three Kings (1999) $5,000,000
Out of Sight (1998) $10,000,000
The Peacemaker (1997) $3,000,000
Batman & Robin (1997) $10,000,000
One Fine Day (1996) $3,000,000
From Dusk Till Dawn (1996) $250,000

Where Are They Now

(May 2004) In Amsterdam (Netherlands) filming for Ocean's Twelve (2004).

(January 2008) Appointed a U.N. "Messenger of Peace".