Trivia

George Clooney is born in Lexington, Kentucky, he is a son of Nick Clooney, a TV newscaster of many years, who hosted a talk show at Cincinnati and often invited George into the studios already at the age of 5. Avoiding competition with his father, he quit his job as broadcast journalist after a short time. Clooney was the second and the youngest child of his parents and has an older sister, Adelia. He also has a niece, Alison, and a nephew, Nicholas (aka Nick). He is related to Miguel and Rafael Ferrer (cousins), singer Rosemary Clooney (aunt) and actor José Ferrer (uncle).

George studied a few years at Northern Kentucky University. Before acting George Clooney tried out for a position on the Cincinnati Reds baseball team but failed.

George is a big fan of the Dallas Mavericks. He also loves to play basketball and was on the 1979 Augusta, Kentucky Basketball Team.

Clooney developed his interest in theatre at Sir Thomas Rich’s Grammar School, in Gloucester, England. When his family moved back to Kentucky, George attended Augusta High School  and earned the lead role in a number of plays.

He came to acting when his cousin, Miguel Ferrer, got him a small part in a feature film. After that, he moved to L.A. in 1982 and tried a whole year to get a role while he slept in a friend’s closet. His first movie, together with Charlie Sheen, stayed unreleased but got him the producers’ attention for later contracts.

 In 1984, Clooney was given a role in a medical comedy drama named E/R. A decade later, he would more famously star in the similarly named, high profile drama ER.

His first major break, however, was playing Roseanne Barr’s boss in the sitcom Roseanne. His role on Roseanne was followed by parts in Baby Talk and Sisters. Clooney’s major film debut was a small role in Return of the Killer Tomatoes.

George waged war against the paparazzi by boycotting “Entertainment Tonight” (1981), the sister show of “Hard Copy” (1989), which had filmed Clooney without his permission.

In 1991 George auditioned five times for Ridley Scott for the role of J.D. in Thelma & Louise (1991), a role that ultimately went to future friend Brad Pitt and catapulted Pitt to super-stardom.

1992 - He auditioned for the role of Mr. Blonde/Vic Vega in Reservoir Dogs (1992), but was turned down.

1994 - He and his Ocean’s Eleven (2001) and Ocean’s Twelve (2004) co-stars, Julia Roberts, Brad Pitt and Elliott Gould, and Bruce Willis who did a cameo in Ocean’s Twelve as himself, all have guest-starred on the TV show “Friends” (1994), though not in the same episodes.

From 1995 through 1999 he and the rest of the E.R. cast received a SAG Award nomination for “Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Drama Series,” winning the category in 1996, 1997, 1998, and 1999

George has been nominated for many awards for his portrayal of Dr. Doug Ross on ER; in 1995 and 1996 He was nominated for an Emmy Award in the “Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series” category;

In 1996 George appears in ZZ Top’s She’s Just Killing’ Me music video along with actress Selma Hayek. The song is on the soundtrack of From Dusk Till Dawn.

In 1996 and 1997 he was nominated for a Screen Actors Guild (SAG) Award for “Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Drama Series”;

In 1996, 1997, and 1998 he was nominated for a Golden Globe Award for “Best Performance by an Actor in a TV-Series - Drama”;

In 1997 – George was chosen as one of People Magazine’s ‘Sexiest Man Alive of 1997′

George had been selected to take the lead role in Jack Frost, but backed out to star in 1997’s Batman and Robin. Michael Keaton stepped in to fill the lead in Jack Frost.

George clooney turned down two roles which went to Kevin Kline: “Artemus Gordon” in Wild Wild West (1999) and “Guy Noir” in A Prairie Home Companion (2006).

In 1999 George appeared in the ‘Bree Sharp’ music video for David Duchovny, in 1999. While starring in E.R, he also appeared in one of NBC’s public service announcements, The More You Know. His topic was child abuse

In 1999 he was nominated for a Golden Satellite Award in the “Best Performance by an Actor in a Television Series - Drama” category;

George loves beer. He has done voice over for Budweiser TV commercials and reportedly had a keg of Guinness installed in his dressing room during filming of Ocean’s 11

In 2002 George agreed to be in the movie O Brother, Where Art Thou before he read the script. All of his singing parts were dubbed

George Clooney was one of People Magazine’s “Top 50 Bachelors” (2002).

George Clooney quit smoking cigarettes after his aunt Rosemary Clooney died from lung cancer in 2002.

In 2003 George was one of 10 Top Sexiest Men in People magazine.

In 2004 George wanted to take on the role of Jack in 2004’s Sideways. The director, Alexander Payne felt that he was too big a star, and chose to cast lesser known actor Thomas Haden Church. George also auditioned for the role of ‘Mr. Blonde’ in Quentin Tarantino’s hit thriller Reservoir Dogs, but was turned down

George suffered a terrible accident during the filming of Syriana, causing spinal fluid to leak into his brain, severe back pain, headaches, and memory loss. After several spine surgeries, he fully recovered

George is only one of two men to appear on the cover of Vogue magazine (the other being Richard Gere). He was also on the cover for the premiere of Men’s Vogue in 2005.

Did you know that George Clooney was considered for the part of Reed Richards in Fantastic Four (2005).

2005 Received the first “Spirit of Independence Award” of the Los Angeles Film Festival and Find Independent. June, 2005

2006 -  George was voted ‘#1 Dream Date’ on the Match.com website

In December 2006, he traveled to China and Egypt to make a personal plea to Chinese and Egyptian officials to use their ties with the Sudanese government to help stop the violence in the Darfur region.

2006 - In September 2006 he addressed the United Nations Security Council, urging it to act over Darfur.

2006 George and longtime production partner Steven Soderbergh decided to close their ‘Section Eight’ production company after a six year run, in August 2006.

2006 George has been nominated for four Oscars, and won once.  In 2006, he was nominated 3 times, including 2 nominations for Good Night and Good Luck. The two categories were “Best Achievement in Directing” and “Best Writing, Original Screenplay.

2006 George turned down the role of Sgt. John McLoughlin in the Oliver Stone movie World Trade Center in 2006.

2006 George won a 2006 Golden Globe award for the Best Performance by an Actor In A Supporting Role in a Motion Picture for his role in Syriana.

In winning the Best Supporting Actor Oscar for Syriana, he becomes the second generation of his family to win an Oscar. His uncle, José Ferrer, won a Best Actor Oscar for playing in Cyrano de Bergerac (1950).

2007  - Chosen as one of People Magazine’s annual ‘100 Most Beautiful People in the World’

2007 - He and his girlfriend, Sarah Larson, had an accident in 2007 while riding a motorcycle. She broke some toes, and Clooney broke a rib.

2007 - Listed at #40 in Forbes magazine’s ‘Celebrity 100 of 2007′

2007 - Named ‘Most Eligible Bachelor’ by the website Forbes.com

2007 - Ranked #17 on Entertainment Tonight’s ‘Hot List of 2007′

2007 A group of young children on school holidays set up a lemonade stand near the set of George’s 2007 movie, Leatherheads. Carter Fontaine, aged ten, six-year-old Chandler and five-year-old Chase were selling glasses of lemonade for 25 cents. George came over and posed for pictures with the children’s mother, Courtney, and her friends so she gave him the lemonade for free. But the star insisted on paying and later sent a $US20 dollar bill and refused to accept any change. A sign read “George Clooney was here” was later displayed next to the trio’s stall

During November of 2007, it was reported that George got into a shoving match with Italian model, Fabio at an L.A restaurant over suspicions one of Fabio’s friends was taking pictures of George and his then-girlfriend Sarah Larsen

On June 6th 2007, George left his hand and feet prints in cement outside Grauman’s Chinese Theatre in Hollywood

George Clooney quit the WGA in April 2008 after the union turned down his wish to be credited as a co-writer for Leatherheads (2008). He felt that he was let down by the union.

George clooney supported Senator Barack Obama’s bid to win the Democratic nomination for the 2008 presidential election.

In 2008 a portrait of George made out of 10,000 jelly beans was donated to a charity of George’s choice.

2008 Was nominated for ”The Best Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role” for Syriana.

In 2008, he was nominated for “Best Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role” for Michael Clayton

2008 George traveled with fellow actor Don Cheadle to China and Egypt, to speak with leaders and urge them to use their ties to the Sudanese Government, to help stop the violence. The pair went to Cairo to raise awareness about the killings in Darfur, and make a call for peace. George was awarded the “Messenger of Peace” award by the United Nations in January 2008 for his outstanding humanitarian efforts in bringing attention to the crisis in Darfur

At the age of 43, he was voted sexiest male celebrity in a ‘Naughty Forties’ poll conducted for UK television station FX.

George was listed in the #9 position in the annual Harris Poll of ‘America’s Top Ten Favorite Movie Stars’

George Clooney´s best friend is Richard Kind, he is also very close friend with actor Tommy Hinkley and actor Mark Wahlberg.

Did you know that George Clooney once dated actress Renée Zellweger and Mariella Frostrup.

George Clooney has appeared in television commercials for: Martini, AT&T, AquaFina, and Fiat.

George’s salary for some of his movie roles include: Intolerable Cruelty: $15,000,000; Ocean’s 11: $20,000,000; The Perfect Storm: $8,000,000; O Brother Where Art Thou?: $1,000,000; Three Kings: $5,000,000; Out of Sight: $10,000,000; The Peacemaker: $3,000,000; Batman & Robin: $10,000,000; One Fine Day: $3,000,000; From Dusk Till Dawn: $250,000.

Clooney and Grant Heslov founded production company Smoke House after his production company Section Eight closed down.

He says he will never get married again, nor have any children, but Michelle Pfeiffer and Nicole Kidman both bet $10,000 each that he would be a father before he turned 40. They were both wrong, and each sent him a check. He returned the money, betting double or nothing that he won’t have kids by age 50.

His favorite song is “Destination Moon” by Dinah Washington and his favourite novel is Tolstoy’s War and Peace.

His palatial villa overlooking Italy’s Lake Como comprises 15 rooms, a wine cellar, and a master bedroom suite atop three floors. In his garage Clooney keeps his collection of Piaggio motorbikes. Docked at his pier is a Colombo classic powerboat.

George Clooney´s personal stunt doubles are stunt men Brad Martin, Troy Hartman and James E. Mitchell.

George donated $1 million to the United Way for hurricane relief

George donated his bag of Oscar goodies to an auction to raise money for the victims of Hurricane Katrina, citing that he has no need for the expensive gifts. The gift, which include a Tahitian Pearl necklace and a Kay Unger Kimono were auctioned for the United Way Hurricane Response & Relief Recovery Fund

George frequently stars in movies that revolve around some type of robbery: Out of Sight; From Dusk Till Dawn; Three Kings; O Brother Where Art Thou?; Ocean’s 11; and Welcome to Collinwood.

George laughed off the claims made by former Roseanne co-star, Roseanne Barr, that they once got so intoxicated together, that he allowed her to take a picture of his genitals. Roseanne claims to have a picture of George wearing a pair of Grouch Marx glasses of his genitalia, he insists that she is twisting the truth

George loves the show South Park so much that he called Trey Parker, the creator of the series, and asked for a part in an episode. He was given the role of “Sparky”, the gay dog.

George was the best man at the wedding of fellow actor and friend, Richard Kind.

George was the sixth actor to play Batman.

George’s E.R character, Dr. Doug Ross, was named number 95 in Bravo’s 100 Greatest TV Characters

George’s famed “Roman haircut” was actually an accident. While filming From Dusk Till Dawn, he wanted to make his character Seth Gecko look really crazy with a chopped off hairstyle, but the haircut became popular and turned into a positive.