George Clooney is an American actor, director, and filmmaker born on May 6, 1961. He’s won lots of awards like the British Academy Film Award, four Golden Globes, and two Oscars. In 2015, he got the Cecil B. DeMille Award, in 2017 the Honorary César, in 2018 the AFI Life Achievement Award, and in 2022 the Kennedy Center Honors.
Clooney started on TV, playing Dr. Doug Ross on the show ER from 1994 to 1999. Then he moved on to movies, starring in hits like From Dusk Till Dawn (1996), Batman & Robin (1997), and O Brother, Where Art Thou? (2000). He became even more famous with the Ocean’s film series from 2001 to 2007.
He also directed some movies, like Confessions of a Dangerous Mind (2002) and Good Night, and Good Luck (2005). He won an Oscar for acting in Syriana (2005) and was nominated for Best Actor in movies like Michael Clayton (2007), Up in the Air (2009), and The Descendants (2011). He won another Oscar for producing Argo (2012).
As of 2023, George Clooney is one of only four people ever nominated for Oscars in six different categories. He’s been on Time magazine’s list of the most influential people from 2006 to 2009. Besides acting and making movies, he’s known for being politically active and supporting good causes. Since 2008, he’s been a United Nations Messenger of Peace and is also part of the Council on Foreign Relations. He’s married to Amal Clooney, who’s a human rights lawyer.
| Full Name | George Timothy Clooney |
| Date of Birth | May 6, 1961 |
| Place of Birth | Lexington, Kentucky, USA |
| Occupation | Actor, Director, Producer |
| Height | 5 ft 10 in (1.80 m) |
| Spouse | Amal Clooney (m. 2014), Talia Balsam (m. 1989–1993) |
| Children | Alexander & Ella Clooney (twins) |
| Net Worth | $500 million |
George Clooney’s Early Life and Education
George Clooney was born on May 6, 1961, in Lexington, Kentucky. His mom, Nina Bruce, was a beauty queen and city councilwoman, while his dad, Nick Clooney, was a TV host. George’s family background is a mix of Irish, German, and English. He has an older sister named Adelia and his aunt is the famous singer and actress Rosemary Clooney.
George went to Catholic school when he was young but later questioned his beliefs. He attended various schools in Ohio and Kentucky, where he was even an altar boy. During middle school, he had Bell’s palsy, which temporarily paralyzed part of his face. Despite this, he found humor in the situation and learned to joke about himself.
After his family moved to Augusta, Kentucky, George Clooney went to Augusta High School. He was a good student and played baseball and basketball. He even tried out for the Cincinnati Reds but didn’t make the team. He went to college at Northern Kentucky University and briefly at the University of Cincinnati but didn’t finish his degree. Along the way, he worked odd jobs to make ends meet, including selling shoes and cutting tobacco.
George Clooney Career
From Early TV Roles to Studying at Beverly Hills Playhouse
George Clooney’s acting journey started way back in 1978 with a small gig on TV in a show called Centennial. It was shot partly in his hometown. Then in 1984, he got his big break in a CBS show called E/R, not to be mixed up with the famous ER. After that, he appeared in some other TV shows like The Facts of Life and The Golden Girls.
But his real big shot came when he landed a role in the sitcom Roseanne. He played a supervisor there. After that, he got roles in shows like Baby Talk, Bodies of Evidence, and Sisters. In 1988, he even starred in a funny horror movie called Return of the Killer Tomatoes.
He kept hustling and in 1990, he starred in a police drama called Sunset Beat. All this time, he was also studying acting at the Beverly Hills Playhouse for about five years.
From ER Heartthrob to Hollywood Star
George Clooney became famous when he played a doctor named Doug Ross on a popular TV show called ER. He was on the show from 1994 to 1999, acting alongside other big names like Anthony Edwards, Julianna Margulies, and Noah Wyle. Even after he left the show in 1999, he made a brief appearance in its sixth season and came back for a guest spot in the final season.
For his role on ER, Clooney was nominated for two big awards called the Primetime Emmy Awards. Those nominations were for being an outstanding actor in 1995 and 1996. He also got nominated for three Golden Globe Awards for Best Actor in a TV Drama Series in 1995, 1996, and 1997. However, he didn’t win any of them, losing to his co-star Anthony Edwards.
While George Clooney was working on ER, he started acting in movies too. His first major role in Hollywood was in a movie called From Dusk Till Dawn. It was a mix of horror, comedy, and crime, and it did pretty well. After that, he starred in a romantic comedy called One Fine Day with Michelle Pfeiffer, and then an action-thriller called The Peacemaker with Nicole Kidman.
But not all his movies were hits. He played Batman in a movie called Batman & Robin, which didn’t do so great. Clooney himself said it was a bad movie and a waste of money. In 1998, he was in a crime-comedy called Out of Sight with Jennifer Lopez, which was much better received. This movie also marked the start of his work with director Steven Soderbergh. He also starred in a movie called Three Kings right before he finished his time on ER.
From ER to Box Office Gold and Critical Acclaim
After leaving the ER, George Clooney starred in some big movies. In 2000, he was in The Perfect Storm, a movie about a big disaster. It did well at the box office. He was also in O Brother, Where Art Thou? that year. It’s a funny adventure movie made by the Coen brothers. The story is a bit like a modern version of an old Greek poem and a classic movie from the 1940s. Clooney’s character is a guy who escapes from prison during the Great Depression. He got nominated for a Golden Globe for his acting in it. One critic even compared him to the legendary actor Clark Gable.
The next year in 2001, Clooney worked with director Steven Soderbergh again in Ocean’s Eleven. It’s a fun movie about a group of guys pulling off a big heist in Las Vegas. Clooney played the main character originally played by Frank Sinatra. The movie was a huge hit and made Clooney even more famous. It’s his most successful movie as the main star. He also started a production company that year with Soderbergh.
In 2002, he was in another Soderbergh movie called Solaris, a sci-fi drama. Critics liked it, and Clooney showed he could do more serious roles too. That same year he directed his first movie, Confessions of a Dangerous Mind. It got good reviews, even though it didn’t make a lot of money.
In 2003, George Clooney worked with the Coen brothers again in Intolerable Cruelty. It’s a romantic comedy and he played opposite Catherine Zeta-Jones. Critics praised their chemistry and Clooney’s ability to make fun of his good looks.
From Oscars Wins to Billion-Dollar Deals
In 2005, George Clooney acted in a movie called Syriana, based on a real ex-CIA agent’s experiences in the Middle East. While filming, he got hurt causing a brain injury. He also made and starred in another movie called Good Night, and Good Luck, about a famous journalist. At the Oscars in 2006, he was nominated for directing and writing Good Night, and Good Luck, and also for acting in Syriana. He won for his role in Syriana.
After that, he was in a film called The Good German in 2006 and started a production company with his friend. He got an award for his contributions to movies. In 2008, he was nominated for Best Actor for a movie called Michael Clayton.
Later that year, he directed and acted in a movie called Leatherheads, but he disagreed with a writers’ group about who wrote the screenplay. He left the group because of it.
In 2009, he acted in a comedy about war called The Men Who Stare at Goats and voiced a character in an animated movie. He also starred in a comedy-drama called Up in the Air, which got good reviews. He was nominated for several awards for his role in it.
In 2010, he produced and starred in a crime drama called The American.
From 2011, he has Bryan Lourd as his agent. In 2011, he acted in a movie called The Descendants, where he played a husband dealing with his wife’s accident. He won some awards for his performance.
In 2013, George Clooney won awards for producing a movie called Argo. The next year, he acted in a space thriller called Gravity.
In 2013, he also helped start a tequila company, which was later sold for $700 million in June 2017. He became the highest-paid actor for a certain time, according to Forbes.
From Monuments Men to Netflix Thriller
In 2014, George Clooney made a movie called The Monuments Men. He wrote it, directed it, and acted in it. The movie was based on a book by Robert M. Edsel. It had big stars like Matt Damon, Cate Blanchett, and Bill Murray. But the movie didn’t do well with critics or at the box office. Many people said it got historical facts wrong. One critic even called it filled with fake patriotism and not very smart.
That same year, Clooney produced another movie called August: Osage County. It had famous actors like Meryl Streep and Julia Roberts.
After that, he acted in a movie called Tomorrowland in 2015. It was about a guy who’s an inventor. He also appeared in a Netflix Christmas special with Bill Murray.
In 2016, Clooney starred in a comedy called Hail, Caesar! and a thriller called Money Monster. In Money Monster, he plays a TV host who gets taken hostage by someone who lost money because of his bad advice.
In 2017, Clooney directed a comedy called Suburbicon. It had Matt Damon and Julianne Moore in it. He also got a big award from the American Film Institute.
In 2019, Clooney made a TV series called Catch-22. It was based on a famous book. Then, after not acting in movies for a while he came back with The Midnight Sky in 2020. He directed and starred in it. The movie didn’t do great with critics or at the box office, but it got nominated for an Oscar for special effects.
In 2021, George Clooney directed a movie for Amazon called The Tender Bar. It was based on a true story. The movie didn’t get great reviews, but Ben Affleck who starred in it got nominated for some awards.
Clooney’s production company announced a docuseries about a scandal at Ohio State University in 2021. And in 2022, he made a romantic comedy with Julia Roberts called Ticket to Paradise.
In 2023, Clooney had a small role in a movie called The Flash. And he directed a sports drama called The Boys in the Boat.
In 2024, he starred in a thriller called Wolf and was cast in a lead role in another untitled movie for Netflix.
Activism and public advocacy
Political Stance and Celebrity Jabs
George Clooney has been a big supporter of certain politicians over the years. He backed Barack Obama in both 2008 and 2012, and then Hillary Clinton in 2016. In 2020, he threw his support behind Joe Biden and even hosted an online event to raise money for Biden’s campaign, joined by Obama.
He’s not shy about poking fun at Republican figures either. At the 2006 Golden Globe Awards, he joked about Jack Abramoff’s name, saying, “Who would name their kid ‘Jack’ with ‘off’ at the end? No wonder the guy’s screwed up.” He’s also had some choice words for Republican donor Steve Wynn, calling him names like “asshole” and “jackass” after they clashed over the Affordable Care Act.
Humanitarian Efforts from Chad to Haiti and Beyond
George Clooney, along with some other famous folks like Brad Pitt and Matt Damon, is part of a group called the Not On Our Watch Project. They work to get the world to pay attention to and help stop terrible things like mass violence. In 2009, George went to Chad with a writer named Nicholas D. Kristof to see what was happening there. Then in 2010, he organized a big TV event called Hope for Haiti Now to get money to help after an earthquake hit Haiti.
In 2012, George Clooney was in a play called “8” with Martin Sheen and Brad Pitt. It was about a court case that let same-sex couples get married in California. They put on the play to raise money for a group that fights for equal rights. Later that year, George offered to have lunch with someone who won an auction. The money from the auction went to help kids in school who might be LGBTQ+ feel safe.
In 2020, after a big explosion in Beirut, Lebanon, George and his wife Amal donated $100,000 to help. They gave money to three groups in Lebanon to support the people affected by the blast.
Fighting for Peace in Darfur
George Clooney has been vocal about stopping the fighting in Darfur. He’s done a lot of stuff to raise awareness and get help for the people there. In 2006, he spoke at a big rally in Washington, D.C., and even went to Chad and Sudan with his dad to make a TV show about what’s happening in Darfur. He’s also talked to big organizations like the UN about finding ways to fix the problem.
He didn’t stop there. In 2007, he wrote a letter to the leader of Germany asking for help and he helped make documentaries to show what was going on. He even got an award for his efforts but he said he felt like he hadn’t done enough.
The next year, the United Nations asked him to be a messenger of peace. He also started a project with another guy to watch for any signs of more fighting between Sudan and South Sudan and to stop any big attacks before they happen.
In 2011, he wrote an article with his friend saying that the leaders of Sudan needed to face more consequences for their actions. In 2012, he was arrested outside the Sudanese Embassy to protest what was happening in Darfur. He’s known for being one of the loudest voices against the president of Sudan, Omar al-Bashir.
Stand Against Brunei’s Anti-LGBT Laws and Hotel Boycott
George Clooney supports LGBT rights. He wrote a letter asking people to boycott hotels owned by the Sultan of Brunei because of a new law. This law says that homosexual sex and adultery can be punished by death by stoning. He named nine hotels, like The Dorchester and The Beverly Hills Hotel, and said that by staying there, we’re giving money to people who believe in killing their citizens for being gay or accused of adultery.
George Clooney Personal life
From Kelly Preston’s Pig to Amal Alamuddin’s Twins
George Clooney has had quite a journey in his romantic life. He dated actress Kelly Preston from 1987 to 1989. During that time, he even got her a pet pig named Max. But when they broke up, George kept Max until the pig passed away in 2006. He joked that Max was his longest relationship ever.
After Kelly, George married actress Talia Balsam from 1989 to 1993. He also had flings with other actresses like Ginger Lynn Allen, Cameron Diaz, and Frances Fisher. Then he dated French reality TV star Céline Balitran for a few years.
In 2000, he was linked with Charlize Theron and Lucy Liu. Later, he had an on-again, off-again relationship with British model Lisa Snowdon for five years. After that, he dated Renée Zellweger, Jennifer Siebel Newsom, Krista Allen, and Linda Thompson.
In 2007, he started dating Sarah Larson a reality personality but they broke up the next year. Then he was with Italian actress Elisabetta Canalis until 2011. After that, he dated WWE star Stacy Keibler until 2013.
Finally, in 2014, George Clooney got engaged to Amal Alamuddin, a human rights lawyer. They bonded over their shared interest in activism, especially the issue of returning the Elgin Marbles to Greece. They got married in Italy later that year, and they adopted a rescue dog named Millie in 2015.
In 2017, it was announced that Amal was pregnant with twins. They welcomed a daughter named Ella and a son named Alexander. Despite neither George nor Amal speaking Italian, they revealed that the twins can speak the language fluently in 2020.
From Hollywood to France’s Vineyards
George Clooney owns a few fancy places around the world. In Los Angeles, he bought a big house in 1995 through his George Guilfoyle Trust. He also has a home in Italy, in a village called Laglio, near a famous author’s old house. Another place he owns is in Los Cabos, Mexico, right next to Cindy Crawford and Rande Gerber’s place.
In 2014, Clooney and his new wife, Amal Alamuddin, bought a historic house on an island in England for about £10 million. And recently, in May 2021, it was reported that he was planning to buy a vineyard in France near a village called Brignoles. This vineyard comes with a cool old mansion, a swimming pool, and a tennis court.
From Motorcycle Accidents to Medical Records Breach
Back in 2007, George Clooney and his then-girlfriend Sarah Larson got into a motorcycle accident in New Jersey. They were hit by a car while riding. The driver said Clooney tried to pass on the right, but Clooney claimed the driver signaled left and then suddenly turned right, hitting them.
Later in October 2007, some employees at Palisades Medical Center got in trouble for peeking at Clooney’s medical records without permission.
Then in 2018, Clooney got hit by a car again while riding his motorcycle to a movie set in Sardinia. He ended up in the hospital but thankfully only had minor injuries.
Protecting His Family and Privacy
In November 2021, George Clooney wrote a piece for The Daily Mail, asking them to stop sharing pictures of his kids. He pointed out that his wife, Amal, is a lawyer who deals with dangerous people like terrorists. He was worried that the tabloid’s actions could put his family in danger. Back in 2014, Clooney didn’t accept an apology from The Daily Mail after they published a fake story about him. He’s been clear about his feelings toward the tabloid, calling it the “worst kind” out there.
In the media
George Clooney’s influence extends beyond the silver screen; his appearance in various commercials and his recognition on Time’s list of Most Influential People showcase his broader impact. His charm and good looks have earned him titles like one of the most handsome men in the world and the top spot on TV Guide’s “50 Sexiest Stars of All Time” list in 2005.
However, not all attention has been entirely positive; his portrayal in South Park and American Dad! indicates a level of cultural critique and parody aimed at his public persona. Despite this, Clooney has embraced his caricatures and even contributed his voice to South Park.
His allure and star power are so significant that they become the focal point of the film Convincing Clooney, where a struggling artist devises a plan to convince Clooney to star in his low-budget short film. This underscores not only Clooney’s status as a Hollywood icon but also his allure as a symbol of success and achievement in the entertainment industry.
Net Worth
George Clooney’s Net Worth is estimated to be $500 Million as of 2024, according to Celebrity Net Worth.
George Clooney has made a lot of money – around half a billion dollars. He earned this from acting, directing, writing, producing movies, and running his businesses. He also makes money from deals with big brands. With all this cash, he could practically become Batman in real life.
