Rise to Success: Career Highlights of George Clooney
Discover the career path of George Clooney, from the first major opportunity to industry-changing achievements.
George Clooney is a highly acclaimed American actor and filmmaker celebrated for his versatility in both mainstream and independent cinema. He has garnered significant recognition, including two Academy Awards, a British Academy Film Award, and four Golden Globe Awards. Clooney's contributions to the film industry have been further acknowledged through prestigious honors such as the Cecil B. DeMille Award, the Honorary César, the AFI Life Achievement Award, and the Kennedy Center Honor.
1972: Original Release of Solaris Film
George Clooney starred in 2002 in Solaris an adaptation of the acclaimed 1972 film directed by Andrei Tarkovsky.
1978: First Role as an Extra in Centennial
In 1978, George Clooney's first role was as an extra in the television miniseries Centennial.
1984: First Major Role in E/R
In 1984, George Clooney's first major role came in the short-lived CBS sitcom E/R.
1988: Lead Role in Return of the Killer Tomatoes
In 1988, George Clooney played one of the lead roles in the comedy-horror film Return of the Killer Tomatoes.
1990: Starring in Sunset Beat
In 1990, George Clooney starred in the short-lived ABC police drama Sunset Beat.
1994: Role as Dr. Doug Ross on ER
From 1994, George Clooney played Dr. Doug Ross on the hit NBC medical drama ER.
1996: Breakthrough Role in From Dusk till Dawn
In 1996, George Clooney had his breakthrough role in the film From Dusk till Dawn, which helped to expand his career into leading roles in films.
1997: Role as Batman in Batman & Robin
In 1997, George Clooney starred as Batman in the film Batman & Robin, which was a modest box office performer but a critical failure.
1998: Starring in Out of Sight
In 1998, George Clooney co-starred in the crime-comedy Out of Sight opposite Jennifer Lopez, marking the first of his many collaborations with director Steven Soderbergh.
1999: Leaving ER
In 1999, George Clooney left the NBC medical drama ER after playing Dr. Doug Ross.
2000: Releases of The Perfect Storm and O Brother, Where Art Thou?
In 2000, George Clooney starred in the commercially successful film The Perfect Storm and in the Coen brothers' adventure comedy O Brother, Where Art Thou?
2001: Starring in Ocean's Eleven and Co-founding Section Eight Productions
In 2001, George Clooney starred in Ocean's Eleven and co-founded Section Eight Productions with Steven Soderbergh.
2001: Starring in Ocean's Eleven
In 2001, George Clooney starred in Ocean's Eleven, a remake of the 1960s Rat Pack film, which cemented him as a leading film star.
2002: Directorial Debut with Confessions of a Dangerous Mind
In 2002, George Clooney made his directorial debut with the spy drama Confessions of a Dangerous Mind.
2002: Release of Solaris and Directorial Debut
In 2002, George Clooney starred in Solaris and made his directorial debut with Confessions of a Dangerous Mind.
2003: Starring in Intolerable Cruelty
In 2003, George Clooney starred in the romantic comedy Intolerable Cruelty opposite Catherine Zeta-Jones.
2004: Release of Ocean's Twelve
In 2004, George Clooney starred in Ocean's Twelve, the second film in the Ocean's trilogy.
2005: Directing Good Night, and Good Luck
In 2005, George Clooney directed the historical drama Good Night, and Good Luck.
2005: Starring in Syriana and Directing Good Night, and Good Luck
In 2005, George Clooney starred in Syriana, based on Robert Baer's memoirs, and also directed, produced, and starred in Good Night, and Good Luck.
2005: Academy Award Win for Syriana
In 2005, George Clooney won the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor for his performance in the thriller Syriana.
April 2006: Filmed "A Journey to Darfur"
In April 2006, George Clooney spent ten days in Chad and Sudan with his father to make the TV special "A Journey to Darfur", reflecting the situation of Darfur's refugees.
August 2006: Founding of Smokehouse Pictures
In August 2006, George Clooney and Grant Heslov started the production company Smokehouse Pictures.
October 2006: Receiving the American Cinematheque Award
In October 2006, George Clooney received the American Cinematheque Award for his significant contribution to the art of motion pictures.
2006: Academy Award Nominations and Win
At the 2006 Academy Awards, George Clooney was nominated for Best Director and Best Original Screenplay for Good Night, and Good Luck, and won the Oscar for Best Supporting Actor for Syriana.
March 25, 2007: Sent open letter to Angela Merkel regarding Darfur
On March 25, 2007, George Clooney sent an open letter to German Chancellor Angela Merkel, calling on the European Union to take "decisive action" in the Darfur region.
November 2007: Appeared in "Darfur Now"
In November 2007, George Clooney appeared in the documentary film "Darfur Now", a call-to-action film for people to help stop the Darfur crisis.
December 2007: Received the Summit Peace Award
In December 2007, George Clooney and Don Cheadle received the Summit Peace Award from the Nobel Peace Prize Laureates in Rome for their work on Darfur.
2007: Ocean's Thirteen and Best Actor Nomination
In 2007, George Clooney starred in Ocean's Thirteen and earned a Best Actor nomination for the legal thriller Michael Clayton.
2007: Release of Ocean's Thirteen
In 2007, George Clooney starred in Ocean's Thirteen, the final film in the Ocean's trilogy.
January 18, 2008: Appointed as UN Messenger of Peace
On January 18, 2008, the United Nations announced George Clooney's appointment as a UN messenger of peace, effective January 31.
January 22, 2008: Academy Award Nomination for Michael Clayton
On January 22, 2008, George Clooney was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Actor for Michael Clayton.
April 4, 2008: Resignation from the Writers Guild of America
On April 4, 2008, George Clooney quietly resigned from the Writers Guild of America over a dispute concerning Leatherheads.
2008: Spoke to the UN Security Council about Darfur
In 2008, George Clooney spoke to the UN Security Council with Nobel Prize-winner Elie Wiesel to ask the UN to find a solution to the Darfur conflict. In 2008, his documentary was released on DVD, and the sale proceeds being donated to the International Rescue Committee.
2008: Starring in Burn After Reading
In 2008, George Clooney starred in the film Burn After Reading.
2008: Supported Barack Obama's presidential campaign
In 2008, George Clooney supported Barack Obama's presidential campaign, marking his involvement in political endorsements.
2008: United Nations Messenger of Peace
Since 2008, George Clooney has served as one of the United Nations Messengers of Peace.
February 2009: Visited Goz Beida, Chad
In February 2009, George Clooney visited Goz Beida, Chad, with New York Times columnist Nicholas D. Kristof, to bring attention to the Darfur conflict.
November 2009: Release of The Men Who Stare at Goats and Fantastic Mr. Fox
In November 2009, George Clooney starred in the release of The Men Who Stare at Goats and voiced the title character in Fantastic Mr. Fox.
December 25, 2009: Wide Release of Up in the Air
On December 25, 2009, the Jason Reitman directed comedy-drama Up in the Air, starring George Clooney, was given a wide release.
2009: Best Actor Nomination for Up in the Air
In 2009, George Clooney earned a Best Actor nomination for his role in the comedy-drama Up in the Air.
January 2010: Organized "Hope for Haiti Now" telethon
In January 2010, George Clooney organized the "Hope for Haiti Now" telethon, which collected donations for the 2010 Haiti earthquake victims.
2010: Starring in The American
In 2010, George Clooney produced and starred in the dark crime drama The American.
May 2011: Co-wrote "Dancing with a dictator in Sudan" op-ed
In May 2011, George Clooney and John Prendergast co-wrote a Washington Post op-ed piece titled "Dancing with a dictator in Sudan", addressing political issues.
2011: Directing The Ides of March
In 2011, George Clooney directed the political drama The Ides of March.
2011: Best Actor Nomination for The Descendants
In 2011, George Clooney earned a Best Actor nomination for his performance in the comedy-drama The Descendants.
2011: Starred in "The Descendants"
In 2011, George Clooney starred in "The Descendants", portraying a husband whose wife is in a coma after an accident. His performance garnered critical acclaim, leading to awards and nominations.
March 2012: Performed in "8" play
In March 2012, George Clooney starred with Martin Sheen and Brad Pitt in a performance of Dustin Lance Black's play "8", raising money for the American Foundation for Equal Rights.
March 16, 2012: Arrested outside Sudanese Embassy
On March 16, 2012, George Clooney was arrested outside the Sudanese Embassy for civil disobedience while protesting the actions of Omar al-Bashir.
September 2012: Offered lunch to benefit GLSEN
In September 2012, George Clooney offered to take an auction winner out to lunch to benefit the Gay, Lesbian and Straight Education Network (GLSEN).
2012: Academy Award for Best Picture for Argo
In 2012, George Clooney received the Academy Award for Best Picture for co-producing the political thriller Argo.
2012: Supported Barack Obama's presidential campaign
In 2012, George Clooney supported Barack Obama's presidential campaign for a second time, continuing his involvement in political endorsements.
2013: Co-founded Casamigos Tequila
In 2013, George Clooney co-founded Casamigos Tequila with Rande Gerber and Michael Meldman, marking his entry into the beverage industry.
2013: Produced "August: Osage County"
In 2013, George Clooney produced "August: Osage County", a film adaptation of the play of the same name, starring Meryl Streep and Julia Roberts.
2013: Starring in Gravity
In 2013, George Clooney starred in the film Gravity.
2013: Won Best Picture for "Argo" and starred in "Gravity"
In 2013, George Clooney won the Golden Globe, BAFTA, and Academy Award for Best Picture as a producer for "Argo". Also in 2013, he co-starred with Sandra Bullock in the space thriller "Gravity".
2014: Wrote, Directed, and Starred in "The Monuments Men"
In 2014, George Clooney co-wrote, directed, and starred in "The Monuments Men", a film that faced critical backlash and box office failure due to historical inaccuracies.
2014: Directing The Monuments Men
In 2014, George Clooney directed the war film The Monuments Men.
May 2015: Statement on Syrian Conflict
In May 2015, George Clooney stated that the Syrian conflict was too complicated politically to get involved in and he wanted to focus on helping the refugees.
2015: Starred in "Tomorrowland" and "A Very Murray Christmas"
In 2015, George Clooney starred in the science fiction film "Tomorrowland" as Frank Walker, and appeared as himself in the Netflix Christmas special, "A Very Murray Christmas".
February 2016: Starred in "Hail, Caesar!"
In February 2016, George Clooney starred in the Coen brothers' comedy "Hail, Caesar!", portraying Baird Whitlock, a kidnapped film star.
March 2016: Met with Syrian refugees in Berlin
In March 2016, George Clooney and his wife Amal met with Syrian refugees living in Berlin and German chancellor Angela Merkel.
April 2016: Commemorated Armenian Genocide Anniversary
In April 2016, George Clooney visited Armenia to commemorate the 101st anniversary of the Armenian genocide, highlighting his support for recognition of the event.
2016: Endorsed Hillary Clinton for president
In 2016, George Clooney endorsed Hillary Clinton for the presidential election, indicating his political preferences.
2016: Starring in Hail, Caesar!
In 2016, George Clooney starred in the film Hail, Caesar!
June 1, 2017: Casamigos Tequila Sold
On June 1, 2017, Casamigos Tequila, co-founded by George Clooney, was sold to Diageo for $700 million with the potential for an additional $300 million based on performance.
June 2017: Casamigos Tequila Sold
In June 2017, Casamigos Tequila, co-founded by George Clooney, was sold to Diageo for $700 million with the potential for an additional $300 million based on performance.
October 2017: Release of "Suburbicon"
In October 2017, George Clooney's directorial project, "Suburbicon", a 1950s-set crime comedy, was released. The film stars Matt Damon, Julianne Moore and Oscar Isaac.
June 1, 2018: Highest-Paid Actor
From June 1, 2017, to June 1, 2018, George Clooney was the world's highest-paid actor, earning $239 million according to Forbes annual ranking.
2018: Pledged Support to March for Our Lives
In 2018, following the Stoneman Douglas High School shooting, the Clooneys pledged $500,000 to the March for Our Lives and said they would be in attendance.
March 28, 2019: Clooney calls for boycott of Brunei hotels
On March 28, 2019, George Clooney wrote an open letter calling for the boycott of the Sultan of Brunei's hotels due to a new law punishing homosexual sex and adultery with death.
May 31, 2019: Premiere of "Catch-22" miniseries
On May 31, 2019, the Hulu historical miniseries "Catch-22", starring, directing, and producing George Clooney, premiered to critical acclaim.
July 2020: Hosted fundraiser for Joe Biden
In July 2020, George Clooney endorsed Joe Biden for the presidential election and hosted a virtual fundraiser for Biden together with Obama.
August 7, 2020: Donation to Lebanese charities
On August 7, 2020, George and Amal Clooney donated $100,000 to three Lebanese charities after the Beirut explosion.
2020: Directing The Midnight Sky
In 2020, George Clooney directed the science fiction film The Midnight Sky.
February 2021: Smokehouse Pictures to produce docuseries
In February 2021, it was reported that George Clooney's Smokehouse Pictures would produce a docuseries about the Ohio State University abuse scandal.
December 22, 2021: Nationwide premiere of "The Tender Bar"
On December 22, 2021, "The Tender Bar", directed by George Clooney, had its nationwide premiere. The film is based on the memoir by J. R. Moehringer.
January 7, 2022: "The Tender Bar" streams on Amazon Prime Video
On January 7, 2022, "The Tender Bar", directed by George Clooney, began streaming on Amazon Prime Video.
June 2022: HBO Announces Documentary Production
In June 2022, HBO announced that the documentary about the Ohio State University abuse scandal, produced by Clooney's Smokehouse Pictures, had started production.
September 30, 2022: Initial release date of "Ticket to Paradise"
Initially, September 30, 2022, was the release date for the movie "Ticket to Paradise" where Clooney reunited with Julia Roberts, however, the date was pushed to October 21, 2022.
October 21, 2022: Release of "Ticket to Paradise"
On October 21, 2022, George Clooney reunited with Julia Roberts for the romantic comedy film "Ticket to Paradise", directed by Ol Parker.
2022: Starring in Ticket to Paradise
In 2022, George Clooney starred in the film Ticket to Paradise.
December 25, 2023: Release of "The Boys in the Boat"
On December 25, 2023, George Clooney's film as a director, "The Boys in the Boat" which starred Callum Turner and Joel Edgerton, was released and it received mixed reviews.
2023: Directing The Boys in the Boat
In 2023, George Clooney directed the biographical sports drama The Boys in the Boat.
July 2024: Called for Biden to withdraw from the 2024 presidential election
In a July 2024 op-ed for The New York Times, George Clooney called for Biden to withdraw from the 2024 presidential election weeks after he hosted another fundraiser for Biden.
2024: Starred in "Wolfs"
In 2024, George Clooney re-teamed with Brad Pitt for the thriller film "Wolfs", written and directed by Jon Watts. Also in 2024, he was cast in Noah Baumbach's Jay Kelly for Netflix.
2025: Broadway Debut
In 2025, George Clooney is set to make his Broadway debut as an actor and playwright in a stage adaption of his film Good Night, and Good Luck.
