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,” “Batman & Robin,” and “O Brother, Where Art Thou?” 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,” “Good Night, and Good Luck.” He won an Oscar for acting in “Syriana” and was nominated for Best Actor in movies like “Michael Clayton,” “Up in the Air,” and “The Descendants.” He won another Oscar for producing “Argo.”
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.
Career
George Clooney’s acting career started small with a background role in a TV series called “Centennial” in 1978. This series was partly filmed in his hometown of Augusta Kentucky. His first significant role came in 1984 in a short-lived sitcom called “ER” where he played a handyman. He also appeared in shows like “The Facts of Life” and “The Golden Girls” taking on various supporting roles.
Clooney’s career gained momentum when he landed a semi-regular role in the sitcom “Roseanne” followed by other TV roles including a construction worker in “Baby Talk” and a detective in “Bodies of Evidence.” He also played Det. James Falconer in “Sisters.” In 1988, he starred in the comedy-horror film “Return of the Killer Tomatoes.” Later in 1990, he was part of the ABC police drama “Sunset Beat.” During these years he honed his acting skills at the Beverly Hills Playhouse for five years.
George Clooney’s breakthrough into stardom came between 1994 and 1999 when he played Dr. Doug Ross on the popular TV show “ER.” His role earned him Emmy nominations and made him a household name. While on “ER” he also started appearing in movies. His early films included From “Dusk Till Dawn,” “One Fine Day,” “The Peacemaker,” and the less successful “Batman & Robin.”
In 1998, he starred in “Out of Sight” opposite Jennifer Lopez which marked the beginning of his collaborations with director Steven Soderbergh. He also appeared in “Three Kings” towards the end of his time on “ER.”
After leaving the TV show “ER,” George Clooney starred in several hit movies. In 2000, he was in “The Perfect Storm” a big success at the box office, and “O Brother Where Art Thou?” a comedy adventure by the Coen brothers set during the Great Depression. His role as an escaped convict earned him a Golden Globe nomination.
In 2001, George Clooney teamed up with Steven Soderbergh for “Ocean’s Eleven” a heist movie that became his biggest hit making $451 million worldwide. It led to two sequels and the founding of Section Eight Productions with Soderbergh.
The following year he worked again with Soderbergh in “Solaris” a sci-fi drama and directed his first film “Confessions of a Dangerous Mind” which premiered at the Cannes Film Festival.
In 2005, George Clooney starred in “Syriana” and directed “Good Night, and Good Luck” which earned him several Oscar nominations and a win for “Syriana.” He continued to expand his career directing and producing more films like “The Good German” and “Leatherheads.”
In 2009, he appeared in “The Men Who Stare at Goats” and voiced a character in “Fantastic Mr. Fox.” He received acclaim for his role in Up in the Air which earned him nominations for major awards.
Clooney’s career continued to flourish with films like “The Descendants” in 2011 which brought him critical praise and several awards. He also produced “Argo” which won the Best Picture Oscar in 2013. That same year he starred in “Gravity” with Sandra Bullock another box office hit.
Outside of acting, Clooney co-founded Casamigos Tequila which was sold for a substantial sum in 2017. He was also named the world’s highest-paid actor for a period between 2017 and 2018 highlighting his ongoing success in the entertainment industry.
In 2014, George Clooney took on multiple roles in the movie “The Monuments Men.” He directed, co-wrote, and starred in this film based on a book about a team of heroes who recovered art stolen by Nazis during World War II. Despite featuring a star-studded cast including Matt Damon, Cate Blanchett, and Bill Murray the movie didn’t do well with critics or at the box office. Many historians criticized it for being historically inaccurate.
The same year Clooney produced “August: Osage County” starring Meryl Streep and Julia Roberts based on a popular play.
In 2015, he appeared in “Tomorrowland” playing an inventor named Frank Walker. He also made a cameo as himself in the Netflix Christmas special “A Very Murray Christmas.”
In 2016, George Clooney starred in the Coen brothers’ comedy “Hail Caesar!” as a 1950s movie star who gets kidnapped. He reunited with Julia Roberts in “Money Monster” playing a TV host held hostage by a disgruntled viewer.
Clooney directed “Suburbicon” a 1950s crime comedy released in 2017 starring Matt Damon and Julianne Moore.
He received the 2018 AFI Life Achievement Award celebrated by colleagues like Shirley MacLaine and Cate Blanchett.
In 2019, George Clooney returned to TV with “Catch-22” a Hulu miniseries based on the famous novel.
After a break from acting Clooney starred in and directed “The Midnight Sky” a 2020 Netflix sci-fi film based on a novel about a global catastrophe. The movie received mixed reviews and struggled financially.
In 2021, he directed “The Tender Bar” for Amazon Studios based on a memoir starring Ben Affleck.
Clooney’s Smokehouse Pictures partnered with Sports Illustrated Studios and 101 Studios for a docuseries on the Ohio State University abuse scandal.
In 2022, he filmed a romantic comedy “Ticket to Paradise” with Julia Roberts. He also had a cameo as Batman in “The Flash.”
Clooney’s latest directorial effort is “The Boys in the Boat” a biographical sports drama released in 2023.
He reunited with Brad Pitt for the 2024 thriller “Wolf” and is set to star in Noah Baumbach’s upcoming film for Netflix.
In 2025, George Clooney plans to debut on Broadway with a stage adaptation of his film “Good Night, and Good Luck.”
Net Worth
George Clooney has an estimated net worth of $500 million, according to Celebrity Net Worth. The main source of George Clooney’s net worth comes from his successful career as an actor, director, and producer in Hollywood. He has starred in many popular movies and TV shows, earning substantial fees for his roles.
Additionally, Clooney has directed and produced films, further adding to his income through box office returns and production credits. Beyond acting, he has lucrative endorsements and investments.
His business ventures, including the sale of his tequila brand, Casamigos, for a significant sum, have also contributed to his wealth. Overall, Clooney’s diverse portfolio in entertainment, endorsements, and business ventures has made him one of the wealthiest figures in the industry.
Personal life
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.
Motorcycle Accidents
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, George 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.
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.
Activism
George Clooney has been actively involved in supporting political campaigns over the years. He backed Barack Obama in both the 2008 and 2012 presidential elections endorsed Hillary Clinton in 2016 and supported Joe Biden in 2020 even hosting a virtual fundraiser with Obama for Biden. However, by July 2024 he publicly called for Biden to withdraw from the 2024 presidential race.
Clooney has also made sarcastic comments about Republican figures. At the 2006 Golden Globe Awards, he humorously criticized Jack Abramoff and mocked Steve Wynn following a dispute over healthcare policy.
Apart from his political engagements, Clooney is committed to humanitarian efforts. He co-founded the Not On Our Watch Project with Brad Pitt Matt Damon and others focusing on preventing mass atrocities globally. He has supported causes like aiding Haiti earthquake victims through the Hope for Haiti Now telethon and advocating for Darfur including addressing the UN Security Council on the issue.
George Clooney and his wife Amal donated $100000 to Lebanese charities after the Beirut explosion in 2020. He’s also been a vocal supporter of recognizing the Armenian genocide and has launched initiatives like the Aurora Prize to honor those who prevent genocides.
Additionally, Clooney has shown support for LGBT rights called for action against Sudanese policies, and participated in civil disobedience leading to his arrest outside the Sudanese Embassy in 2012. He’s involved in various humanitarian efforts globally from Syria to Germany focusing on refugee support and human rights advocacy.
