George Clooney reveals why he turned down $35 million for one day of work. Clooney has had a long career, spanning over 40 years as an actor in television and film. From iconic roles in ER, Batman & Robin, and Ocean's Eleven to his work alongside frequent collaborators Joel and Ethan Coen in Burn After Reading and O Brother, Where Art Thou?, Clooney has built a distinguished legacy in Hollywood.
Clooney's career has moved from leading man to behind the camera in recent years as he has shifted from acting roles to directing and producing. He's a two-time Oscar winner—for Best Supporting Actor in 2003's Syriana, and as a producer for 2013's Argo. In recent years, Clooney has directed films such as Suburbicon, starring Matt Damon, and the upcoming film The Tender Bar, starring Ben Affleck and Tye Sheridan, which follows a boy looking for father figures in his uncle's bar.
Clooney and his wife Amal Clooney are also advocates for human rights, which has, at times, come into conflict with his work as an actor. In an interview with The Guardian while promoting The Tender Bar, Clooney revealed he recently turned down $35 million for one day of work on an airline commercial due to the nature of the project. Read out the full quote below:
“Well, yeah. I was offered $35m for one day’s work for an airline commercial, but I talked to Amal [Clooney, the human rights lawyer he married in 2014] about it and we decided it’s not worth it. It was [associated with] a country that, although it’s an ally, is questionable at times, and so I thought: ‘Well, if it takes a minute’s sleep away from me, it’s not worth it.’”
For Clooney, the job isn't always about the money. And while some may find it hard to turn down a massive payday, he seems content in choosing his integrity over a paycheck. That seems to be the way he approaches his film choices too, taking on projects that are more dramatic over the years and focusing more time behind the camera. Though he admits in the interview that "In general, there just aren't that many great parts," and he "[doesn't] have to act."
Even if there aren't always great parts, that doesn't mean Clooney is slowing down either. And while he has enjoyed working behind the scenes, Clooney promises that audiences haven't seen the last of him yet. In fact, he is getting ready to do some work on location in Australia with Julia Roberts, then he'll be in the U.K. to work on a project with Brad Pitt. Both actors have shared the screen with Clooney before, leading to some of his most memorable work. Until then, audiences can catch George Clooney's next directorial feature, The Tender Bar, in select theaters on December 17 and on Amazon Prime on January 7, 2022.
Source: The Guardian