Early Life and Education of George Clooney: A Complete Timeline
How education and upbringing influenced the life of George Clooney. A timeline of key moments.
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.
May 6, 1961: George Clooney's Birth
On May 6, 1961, George Timothy Clooney was born. He would become an American actor and filmmaker known for his work in both blockbuster and independent films.
1968: Attendance at Western Row Elementary School
From 1968, George Clooney attended Western Row Elementary School in Mason, Ohio.
1974: End of Attendance at Western Row Elementary School
In 1974, George Clooney's attendance at Western Row Elementary School ended, marking the end of his time at the school.
1977: Clooney tries out for Cincinnati Reds
In 1977, George Clooney tried out to be a player for the Cincinnati Reds baseball team.
1977: Tryout with the Cincinnati Reds
In 1977, George Clooney tried out to play professional baseball with the Cincinnati Reds, but he was not offered a contract.
1979: Attendance at Northern Kentucky University
From 1979, George Clooney attended Northern Kentucky University, majoring in broadcast journalism.
1981: End of Attendance at Northern Kentucky University
In 1981, George Clooney's attendance at Northern Kentucky University ended, though he did not graduate.
1987: Clooney dates Kelly Preston and buys her a pig
In 1987, George Clooney started dating actress Kelly Preston and purchased a Vietnamese Pot-bellied pig named Max as a gift for her.
1989: Clooney marries Talia Balsam
In 1989, George Clooney married actress Talia Balsam.
1989: Clooney and Kelly Preston end relationship
In 1989, George Clooney's relationship with actress Kelly Preston ended, with Clooney keeping their pet pig, Max.
1993: Clooney and Talia Balsam divorce
In 1993, George Clooney divorced actress Talia Balsam.
1995: Clooney Purchases Los Angeles Property
In 1995, George Clooney purchased a 7,354-square-foot house in Los Angeles through his George Guilfoyle Trust.
1995: Clooney dates Cameron Diaz and Frances Fisher
In 1995, George Clooney was romantically involved with actresses Cameron Diaz and Frances Fisher.
1996: Clooney dates Céline Balitran
In 1996, George Clooney began dating French reality TV personality Céline Balitran.
1998: Statement on Religious Beliefs
In 1998, George Clooney stated that he did not know if he believed "in Heaven or even God,"
1999: Clooney and Céline Balitran end relationship
In 1999, George Clooney and Céline Balitran ended their relationship.
2000: Clooney linked to Charlize Theron and Lucy Liu, begins relationship with Lisa Snowdon
In 2000, George Clooney was linked to Charlize Theron and Lucy Liu, and also met British model Lisa Snowdon, beginning a five-year on-again, off-again relationship with her.
2001: Clooney dates Renée Zellweger
In 2001, George Clooney was romantically involved with actress Renée Zellweger.
2002: Clooney dates Jennifer Siebel Newsom and Krista Allen
In 2002, George Clooney dated Jennifer Siebel Newsom and began a relationship with Krista Allen.
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.
2006: Clooney dates Linda Thompson
In 2006, George Clooney dated Linda Thompson.
2006: Max, Clooney's pig, dies
In 2006, Max, the Vietnamese Pot-bellied pig that George Clooney acquired in 1987, died after living with Clooney for 18 years.
2006: Humorous Statements Against Republican Party Figures
In 2006, at the 63rd Golden Globe Awards, George Clooney sarcastically thanked Jack Abramoff. Clooney has also described Republican donor Steve Wynn as an "asshole" and a "jackass", after the two had a heated disagreement over the Affordable Care Act.
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.
June 2007: Clooney starts dating Sarah Larson
In June 2007, George Clooney began dating reality personality Sarah Larson.
September 21, 2007: Clooney injured in motorcycle accident
On September 21, 2007, George Clooney and then-girlfriend Sarah Larson were injured in a motorcycle accident in Weehawken, New Jersey, when his motorcycle was hit by a car.
October 9, 2007: Staff suspended for viewing Clooney's medical records
On October 9, 2007, more than two dozen staff at Palisades Medical Center were suspended for looking at George Clooney's medical records in violation of federal law.
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.
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.
May 2008: Clooney and Sarah Larson break up
In May 2008, George Clooney and Sarah Larson ended their relationship.
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: 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.
July 2009: Clooney starts dating Elisabetta Canalis
In July 2009, George Clooney started a relationship with Italian actress Elisabetta Canalis.
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.
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.
June 2011: Clooney and Elisabetta Canalis split
In June 2011, George Clooney and Elisabetta Canalis ended their relationship.
July 2011: Clooney starts dating Stacy Keibler
In July 2011, George Clooney began dating former WWE personnel Stacy Keibler.
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: 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.
July 2013: Clooney and Stacy Keibler end relationship
In July 2013, George Clooney and Stacy Keibler ended their relationship.
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.
April 28, 2014: Clooney gets engaged to Amal Alamuddin
On April 28, 2014, George Clooney became engaged to British-Lebanese human rights lawyer Amal Alamuddin.
July 2014: Clooney mocks Daily Mail after false story
In July 2014, George Clooney publicly mocked the British tabloid newspaper Daily Mail after it claimed his fiancée's mother opposed their marriage.
August 7, 2014: Clooney and Alamuddin obtain marriage licenses
On August 7, 2014, George Clooney and Amal Alamuddin obtained marriage licenses in the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea of the United Kingdom.
September 27, 2014: Clooney and Alamuddin get married
On September 27, 2014, George Clooney and Amal Alamuddin were officially married at Ca' Farsetti in Italy.
2014: Clooney and Amal purchase Mill House
In 2014, George Clooney and Amal Alamuddin bought the Grade II listed Mill House in Oxfordshire, England, for around £10 million.
2014: Clooney rejects Daily Mail apology
In 2014, George Clooney rejected an apology from the Daily Mail for printing a false story, calling the Mail the "worst kind of tabloid."
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: Clooney and Alamuddin adopt a rescue dog
In 2015, George Clooney and Amal Alamuddin adopted a rescue dog, a Basset Hound named Millie, from the San Gabriel Valley Humane Society.
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.
February 9, 2017: Amal Clooney's pregnancy announced
On February 9, 2017, it was reported that Amal Clooney was pregnant with twins.
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 6, 2017: Amal Clooney gives birth to twins
On June 6, 2017, Amal Clooney gave birth to twins, a daughter named Ella, and a son named Alexander.
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.
June 7, 2018: Received AFI Life Achievement Award
On June 7, 2018, George Clooney received the AFI Life Achievement Award, presented by Shirley MacLaine and honored by several other celebrities.
July 10, 2018: Clooney hit by car while riding motorcycle
On July 10, 2018, George Clooney was hit by a car while riding a motorcycle to a film set in Sardinia and was hospitalized with minor injuries.
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.
April 3, 2019: Brunei's law punishing homosexual sex and adultery comes into force
On April 3, 2019, Brunei's new law came into force, prescribing death by stoning for homosexual sex and adultery, prompting Clooney's earlier call for a hotel boycott.
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: Clooney reveals twins speak Italian fluently
In 2020, George Clooney revealed that his twins can speak Italian fluently, despite neither he nor Amal speaking the language.
May 2021: Clooney plans to buy vineyard in France
In May 2021, it was reported that George Clooney plans to buy a vineyard near Brignoles, France, including an 18th-century manor.
November 2021: Clooney petitions Daily Mail to stop publishing photos of his children
In November 2021, George Clooney wrote an op-ed to The Daily Mail, asking them to stop publishing photos of his children due to safety concerns.
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.
