George Clooney facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
George Clooney
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Clooney at the Venice Film Festival in 2024
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George Timothy Clooney
May 6, 1961 Lexington, Kentucky, U.S.
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| Alma mater | Northern Kentucky University |
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| Years active | 1978–present |
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Works
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Filmography |
| Political party | Democratic |
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| Children | 2 |
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| Awards | Full list |
George Timothy Clooney (born May 6, 1961) is a famous American actor and filmmaker. He is known for his roles in big movies and smaller, independent films. George Clooney has won many awards, including two Academy Awards, a British Academy Film Award, and four Golden Globe Awards. He has also received special honors like the Golden Globe Cecil B. DeMille Award and the AFI Life Achievement Award. Since 2008, he has been a United Nations Messengers of Peace, working for good causes around the world.
Contents
Early Life and Education
George Clooney was born on May 6, 1961, in Lexington, Kentucky. His mother, Nina Bruce, was a beauty queen and a city councilwoman. His father, Nick Clooney, was a TV news anchor and host. George has Irish, German, and English family roots. He is even related to President Abraham Lincoln through his mother's side! He has an older sister named Adelia. His aunt was the famous singer and actress Rosemary Clooney.
George grew up in a Roman Catholic family. He started school at Blessed Sacrament School in Kentucky. When he was in middle school, he had a condition called Bell's palsy, which made half of his face temporarily paralyzed. It went away within a year. He said this experience taught him to make fun of himself, which helped him later in life.
After his parents moved, George went to Augusta High School. He was a good student and played baseball and basketball. In 1977, he even tried out for the professional baseball team, the Cincinnati Reds, but he didn't get a contract. He later studied broadcast journalism at Northern Kentucky University and briefly at the University of Cincinnati, but he did not finish his degree. Before becoming an actor, he worked many different jobs, like selling shoes and insurance.
Acting Career
Starting Out in TV (1978–1993)
George Clooney's first acting job was as an extra in a TV mini-series called Centennial in 1978. His first big role came in 1984 in the sitcom E/R. He also appeared on popular shows like The Facts of Life and The Golden Girls. He had a regular role on the sitcom Roseanne and later on the drama Sisters. In 1988, he starred in the comedy-horror film Return of the Killer Tomatoes. During these early years, he studied acting at the Beverly Hills Playhouse.
Becoming a Star (1994–1999)
George Clooney became very famous when he played Dr. Doug Ross on the hit medical drama ER. He was on the show from 1994 to 1999 and even came back for a guest appearance in the final season. His work on ER earned him several award nominations.
While on ER, Clooney started acting in movies. His first major Hollywood film was the horror-comedy From Dusk till Dawn (1996). He then starred in the romantic comedy One Fine Day with Michelle Pfeiffer and the action-thriller The Peacemaker with Nicole Kidman. In 1997, he played Batman in Batman & Robin. In 1998, he starred in the crime-comedy Out of Sight with Jennifer Lopez. This was his first time working with director Steven Soderbergh, who he would work with many times. He also starred in Three Kings before leaving ER.
Leading Roles and Directing (2000–2004)
After ER, Clooney starred in successful films like the disaster movie The Perfect Storm (2000). The same year, he starred in the comedy O Brother, Where Art Thou? (2000), which was a modern take on the ancient Greek poem Odyssey. He played an escaped convict named Ulysses Everett McGill and was nominated for a Golden Globe Award.
In 2001, Clooney teamed up with director Steven Soderbergh again for the heist comedy Ocean's Eleven. He played Danny Ocean alongside stars like Brad Pitt, Julia Roberts, and Matt Damon. This movie made him a top film star. Ocean's Eleven was a huge success and led to two sequels: Ocean's Twelve (2004) and Ocean's Thirteen (2007).
In 2002, George Clooney directed his first movie, Confessions of a Dangerous Mind. Critics praised his directing, even though the movie didn't make a lot of money. In 2003, he starred in the romantic comedy Intolerable Cruelty with Catherine Zeta-Jones.
Award-Winning Work (2005–2013)
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In 2005, Clooney starred in Syriana, a thriller about the Middle East. He won an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor for this role. The same year, he directed, produced, and starred in Good Night, and Good Luck, a film about a TV journalist in the 1950s. He was nominated for Best Director and Best Original Screenplay for this film.
In 2007, Clooney was nominated for another Academy Award for Best Actor for his role in Michael Clayton. He also directed his third film, Leatherheads, in 2008.
In 2009, he starred in the comedy The Men Who Stare at Goats and voiced a character in the animated movie Fantastic Mr. Fox. He also starred in the drama Up in the Air, which earned him many award nominations, including an Academy Award.
In 2011, Clooney starred in The Descendants, for which he won a Golden Globe Award and was nominated for an Academy Award. He was also nominated for an Academy Award for writing the political drama The Ides of March. In 2013, he won an Academy Award for Best Picture for producing the film Argo. The same year, he co-starred with Sandra Bullock in the space thriller Gravity.
Recent Projects (2014–Present)
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In 2014, Clooney co-wrote, directed, and starred in The Monuments Men, a film about saving art during World War II. He also produced August: Osage County (2013).
In 2015, he starred in the science fiction film Tomorrowland. The next year, he appeared in the comedy Hail, Caesar! and reunited with Julia Roberts in the thriller Money Monster.
In 2017, Clooney directed Suburbicon. In 2018, he received the AFI Life Achievement Award for his contributions to film. In 2019, he returned to TV, starring, directing, and producing the miniseries Catch-22.
After a break from acting in films, Clooney starred in and directed the science fiction movie The Midnight Sky (2020) for Netflix. He also directed The Tender Bar (2021). In 2022, he teamed up with Julia Roberts again for the romantic comedy Ticket to Paradise. In 2023, he made a cameo as Batman in The Flash and directed the sports drama The Boys in the Boat.
George Clooney is set to star with Brad Pitt in the 2024 thriller Wolfs. In 2025, he will make his Broadway debut as an actor and playwright with a stage version of his film Good Night, and Good Luck.
Activism and Public Work
George Clooney is well-known for his political and humanitarian work. He has supported Democratic Party presidential campaigns, including those of Barack Obama and Joe Biden.
He is part of the Not On Our Watch Project, an organization that works to prevent terrible acts against groups of people. In 2010, he helped organize the "Hope for Haiti Now" telethon to raise money for victims of the earthquake in Haiti.
In 2012, Clooney supported LGBT rights by performing in a play about same-sex marriage. He also helped raise money for GLSEN, an organization that creates safe spaces in schools for LGBTQ+ children. In 2020, George and Amal Clooney donated $100,000 to charities in Beirut, Lebanon, after a big explosion.
Helping Darfur
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George Clooney has worked hard to bring attention to the conflict in Darfur, Sudan. He visited Chad and Sudan to make a TV special called A Journey to Darfur, showing the lives of refugees. He has spoken to the United Nations Security Council and asked world leaders to help. In 2007, he received the Summit Peace Award from Nobel Peace Prize winners for his efforts.
In 2008, the United Nations named him a UN Messenger of Peace. He also helped start the Satellite Sentinel Project, which uses satellites to watch for signs of conflict in Sudan and South Sudan. In 2012, he was arrested outside the Sudanese Embassy during a protest to bring more attention to the issue.
Other Causes
Clooney supports the recognition of the Armenian genocide. He helped create the Aurora Prize, which honors people who risk their lives to prevent genocides. He has also met with Syrian refugees and German Chancellor Angela Merkel to discuss the Syrian conflict. In 2018, after the Stoneman Douglas High School shooting, the Clooneys donated $500,000 to the March for Our Lives movement, which advocates for stricter gun control in the U.S.
Personal Life
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George Clooney was married to actress Talia Balsam from 1989 to 1993. For many years, he had a pet Vietnamese Pot-bellied pig named Max, who he jokingly called his longest relationship.
On April 28, 2014, George Clooney became engaged to Amal Alamuddin, a British-Lebanese human rights lawyer. They both shared an interest in working for good causes. They were married on September 27, 2014, in Italy. In 2015, they adopted a rescue dog named Millie.
On June 6, 2017, Amal gave birth to their twins, a daughter named Ella and a son named Alexander. George has shared that his children can speak Italian fluently, even though he and Amal do not.
Clooney owns homes in Los Angeles, California, and a beautiful villa in Laglio, Italy, on Lake Como. He also has a home in Mexico and a historic house in England.
In 2007 and 2018, George Clooney was involved in motorcycle accidents but only had minor injuries.
He is a fan of the Cincinnati Bengals and Cincinnati Reds sports teams. He also supports the English football club Derby County.
In 2021, Clooney asked a British newspaper to stop publishing photos of his children. He explained that his wife works against terrorist groups, and publishing photos of their children could put their lives in danger.
In the Media
George Clooney has appeared in many commercials outside the U.S. for brands like Nespresso and Omega watches. Time magazine named him one of the 100 Most Influential People in the World several times. He is often called one of the most handsome men in the world.
He has also been parodied in TV shows like South Park and American Dad!. Clooney has even lent his voice to South Park characters.
Awards and Achievements
George Clooney has won many awards for his acting and producing. He won an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor for Syriana and an Academy Award for Best Picture as a producer for Argo. He has also won several Golden Globe Awards and BAFTAs. In 2015, he received the special Golden Globe Cecil B. DeMille Award for his lifetime achievements in film.
Images for kids
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George Clooney at the Venice Film Festival in 2024
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George Clooney in 1995
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Brad Pitt, Matt Damon and George Clooney promoting Ocean's Eleven in 2001
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Brad Pitt, George Clooney, Matt Damon, Andy Garcia, Julia Roberts and Steven Soderbergh publicize Ocean's Eleven (2001)
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George Clooney at the premiere of The Men Who Stare at Goats in 2009
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Ewan McGregor, Grant Heslov and George Clooney at the Venice International Film Festival in 2009
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Jodie Foster, Jack O'Connell, Julia Roberts and George Clooney at the 2016 Cannes Film Festival for Money Monster
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George Clooney with President Barack Obama in 2016
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George Clooney in Abéché, Chad, in January 2008 with the United Nations
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George Clooney discusses Sudan with President Barack Obama at the White House in October 2010
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George Clooney with Vice President Joe Biden in 2009
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George and Amal Clooney at the 66th Berlin International Film Festival in Germany in 2016
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See also
In Spanish: George Clooney para niños
