George Clooney | |
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Born | George Timothy Clooney May 6, 1961 Lexington, Kentucky, U.S. |
Alma mater | Northern Kentucky University |
Occupations |
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Years active | 1978–present |
Organizations | |
Works | Filmography |
Political party | Democratic[1] |
Spouses | |
Children | 2 |
Father | Nick Clooney |
Relatives |
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Awards | Full list |
George Timothy Clooney[2] (born May 6, 1961) is an American actor and filmmaker. Known for his work in both blockbuster and independent films, he has received numerous accolades, including two Academy Awards, a British Academy Film Award and four Golden Globe Awards. His honors include the Cecil B. DeMille Award, the Honorary César, the AFI Life Achievement Award, and the Kennedy Center Honor.[3][4]
Clooney started acting in television in the late 1970s, and later gained wide recognition in his role as Dr. Doug Ross on the NBC medical drama ER (1994–1999), for which he received two Primetime Emmy Award nominations. He expanded to leading roles in films, with his breakthrough role in From Dusk till Dawn (1996)[5][6] followed by Batman & Robin (1997), Out of Sight (1998), Three Kings (1999), The Perfect Storm (2000) and O Brother, Where Art Thou? (2000). Greater stardom came from his starring role in Soderbergh's Ocean's film series from 2001 to 2007. Clooney won the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor for the thriller Syriana (2005), and earned Best Actor nominations for the legal thriller Michael Clayton (2007), and the comedy-dramas Up in the Air (2009) and The Descendants (2011). He has also starred in Burn After Reading (2008), The American (2010), Gravity (2013), Hail, Caesar! (2016) and Ticket to Paradise (2022).
Clooney made his directorial debut with the spy drama Confessions of a Dangerous Mind (2002), and has since directed the historical drama Good Night, and Good Luck (2005), the political drama The Ides of March (2011), the war film The Monuments Men (2014), the science fiction film The Midnight Sky (2020) and the biographical sports drama The Boys in the Boat (2023). He received the Academy Award for Best Picture for co-producing the political thriller Argo (2012). As of 2023, he is one of four people to have been nominated for Academy Awards in six different categories (a distinction shared with Walt Disney, Alfonso Cuarón and Kenneth Branagh).[7][8]
Clooney was included on Time's annual Time 100 list, which identifies the most influential people in the world, every year from 2006 to 2009.[9] He is also noted for his political and economic activism, and has served as one of the United Nations Messengers of Peace since 2008.[10][11][12] Clooney is also a member of the Council on Foreign Relations.[13] He is married to human rights lawyer Amal Clooney.
Growing up as a Democrat in Kentucky helped George Clooney get used to fighting impossible battles. With the presidential election fast approaching, the activist and actor says progressives should not give up on fighting for deep red states—even if the challenge seems insurmountable [...] "I've always been involved in Democratic politics since I was raised a Democrat in Kentucky. So imagine how much fun it was for me," said the actor, whose mother was active in city politics while his father ran unsuccessfully for congress in 2004, in an interview with Vanity Fair about his upcoming film, The Midnight Sky.