History of George Clooney in Timeline

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George Clooney

George Clooney is a highly acclaimed American actor, filmmaker, and philanthropist. He is celebrated for his prominent roles in both mainstream and independent cinema. Clooney's achievements include two Academy Awards, a BAFTA Award, and four Golden Globe Awards. He has also received nominations for three Primetime Emmy Awards and a Tony Award. He has been recognized with prestigious honors such as the Cecil B. DeMille Award, the Honorary César, the AFI Life Achievement Award, and the Kennedy Center Honor, solidifying his significant contributions to the film industry and broader cultural landscape.

1977: Tryout for Cincinnati Reds

In 1977, George Clooney tried out for the Cincinnati Reds baseball team.

1987: Relationship with Kelly Preston

In 1987, George Clooney began dating actress Kelly Preston.

1989: End of Relationship with Kelly Preston

In 1989, George Clooney and Kelly Preston ended their relationship.

1989: Marriage to Talia Balsam

In 1989, George Clooney married actress Talia Balsam.

1993: Divorce from Talia Balsam

In 1993, George Clooney and Talia Balsam divorced.

1995: Relationships with Cameron Diaz and Frances Fisher

In 1995, George Clooney dated Cameron Diaz and Frances Fisher.

1995: Purchase of Los Angeles Home

In 1995, George Clooney purchased a 7,354-square-foot house in Los Angeles through his George Guilfoyle Trust.

1996: Relationship with Céline Balitran

In 1996, George Clooney began dating French reality TV personality Céline Balitran.

1999: End of Relationship with Céline Balitran

In 1999, George Clooney and Céline Balitran ended their relationship.

2000: Link to Charlize Theron and Lucy Liu

In 2000, George Clooney was linked to Charlize Theron and Lucy Liu.

2001: Dating Renée Zellweger

In 2001, George Clooney dated Renée Zellweger.

2002: Dating Jennifer Siebel Newsom and Krista Allen

In 2002, George Clooney dated Jennifer Siebel Newsom and Krista Allen.

2005: Ranked Sexiest Star by TV Guide

In 2005, TV Guide ranked George Clooney No. 1 on its "50 Sexiest Stars of All Time" list.

2005: Good Night, and Good Luck Released

In 2005, the movie Good Night, and Good Luck was released which George Clooney wrote and directed.

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April 2006: Journey to Darfur TV Special

In April 2006, George Clooney spent ten days in Chad and Sudan with his father to create the TV special A Journey to Darfur, reflecting the situation of Darfur's refugees, and advocated for action.

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August 2006: Started Smokehouse Pictures

In August 2006, George Clooney and Grant Heslov started the production company Smokehouse Pictures.

October 2006: Received American Cinematheque Award

In October 2006, George Clooney received the American Cinematheque Award, which recognizes contributions to the art of motion pictures.

2006: Dating Linda Thompson

In 2006, George Clooney dated Linda Thompson.

2006: Humorous statements against Republican Party figures

In 2006, George Clooney made humorous statements against Republican Party figures including Jack Abramoff and Steve Wynn.

2006: Death of Max the Pig

In 2006, Max, the Vietnamese Pot-bellied pig George Clooney gifted to Kelly Preston and kept for 18 years after their breakup, died.

March 25, 2007: Open Letter to Angela Merkel

On March 25, 2007, George Clooney sent an open letter to German Chancellor Angela Merkel, urging the European Union to take decisive action regarding the Darfur conflict.

June 2007: Relationship with Sarah Larson

In June 2007, George Clooney began dating reality personality Sarah Larson.

September 21, 2007: Motorcycle Accident in New Jersey

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 Accessing Medical Records

On October 9, 2007, over two dozen staff at Palisades Medical Center were suspended for looking at George Clooney's medical records without permission, violating federal law.

November 2007: Appearance in Darfur Now

In November 2007, George Clooney appeared in the documentary film Darfur Now, a call-to-action film urging people worldwide to help stop the Darfur crisis.

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December 2007: 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 efforts regarding Darfur.

2007: Acted in Michael Clayton

In 2007, George Clooney starred in the movie 'Michael Clayton'.

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2007: Named One of Time's 100 Most Influential People

In 2007, George Clooney was named one of Time's 100 Most Influential People in the World.

January 18, 2008: Appointment 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

On January 22, 2008, George Clooney was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Actor for his role in "Michael Clayton" (2007), but he lost to Daniel Day-Lewis.

February 2008: Time Cover Story: The Last Movie Star

In February 2008, Time magazine's cover story was titled "George Clooney: The Last Movie Star."

April 4, 2008: Resigned from the Writers Guild of America

On April 4, 2008, George Clooney resigned from the Writers Guild of America over a dispute regarding writing credit for "Leatherheads".

May 2008: End of Relationship with Sarah Larson

In May 2008, George Clooney and Sarah Larson broke up.

2008: Supported Barack Obama's presidential campaign

In 2008, George Clooney supported Barack Obama's presidential campaign.

2008: Darfur Advocacy at the UN and Release on DVD

In 2008, the TV special A Journey to Darfur was released on DVD with proceeds going to the International Rescue Committee. In September of the same year, George Clooney spoke to the UN Security Council with Elie Wiesel, advocating for a resolution to the Darfur conflict.

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February 2009: Visited Goz Beida, Chad

In February 2009, George Clooney visited Goz Beida, Chad, with New York Times columnist Nicholas D. Kristof to raise awareness about mass atrocities.

July 2009: Relationship with Elisabetta Canalis

In July 2009, George Clooney began a relationship with Italian actress Elisabetta Canalis.

November 2009: Starred in and voiced characters in two films

In November 2009, George Clooney starred in "The Men Who Stare at Goats" and voiced the title character in "Fantastic Mr. Fox".

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December 25, 2009: Wide release of Up in the Air

On December 25, 2009, "Up in the Air", starring George Clooney, had its wide release.

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2009: Named One of Time's 100 Most Influential People

In 2009, George Clooney was again named one of Time's 100 Most Influential People in the World.

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.

October 2010: Initiation of the Satellite Sentinel Project

In October 2010, after a trip to South Sudan, George Clooney and John Prendergast initiated the Satellite Sentinel Project (SSP) to monitor armed activity and deter mass atrocities along the border regions of Sudan and South Sudan.

2010: Produced and starred in The American

In 2010, George Clooney produced and starred in "The American", a dark crime drama.

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May 2011: Washington Post 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."

June 2011: Split with Elisabetta Canalis

In June 2011, George Clooney and Elisabetta Canalis split.

July 2011: Relationship with Stacy Keibler

In July 2011, George Clooney began dating former WWE personnel Stacy Keibler.

2011: Starred in The Descendants

In 2011, George Clooney starred in "The Descendants", receiving critical acclaim and several award nominations.

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March 2012: Performance in Dustin Lance Black's play 8

In March 2012, George Clooney starred with Martin Sheen and Brad Pitt in a performance of Dustin Lance Black's play 8, a reenactment of the trial that overturned California's Prop 8 ban on same-sex marriage, as attorney David Boies. The production was held at the Wilshire Ebell Theatre and broadcast on YouTube.

March 16, 2012: Arrest at Sudanese Embassy Protest

On March 16, 2012, George Clooney was arrested outside the Sudanese Embassy for civil disobedience during a planned protest against Omar al-Bashir. Martin Luther King III was also arrested.

September 2012: Auction Lunch for 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). GLSEN works to create a safe space in schools for children who are or may be perceived to be gay, lesbian, bisexual or transgender.

2012: Supported Barack Obama's presidential campaign

In 2012, George Clooney supported Barack Obama's presidential campaign.

July 2013: End of Relationship with Stacy Keibler

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.

2013: Produced August: Osage County

In 2013, George Clooney produced August: Osage County, an adaptation of the play of the same name.

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2013: Won awards for producing Argo

In 2013, George Clooney won the Golden Globe Award for Best Motion Picture – Drama, the BAFTA Award for Best Picture and the Academy Award for Best Picture for producing "Argo".

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April 28, 2014: Engagement to Amal Alamuddin

On April 28, 2014, George Clooney became engaged to British-Lebanese human rights lawyer Amal Alamuddin.

July 2014: Rejection of Daily Mail Apology

In July 2014, George Clooney publicly mocked the British tabloid newspaper Daily Mail and refused to accept their apology for a false story about his fiancée's mother.

August 7, 2014: Obtaining Marriage Licenses

On August 7, 2014, George Clooney and Amal Alamuddin obtained marriage licenses at the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea in the United Kingdom.

September 27, 2014: Marriage to Amal Alamuddin

On September 27, 2014, George Clooney and Amal Alamuddin were officially married at Ca' Farsetti, in a ceremony officiated by Walter Veltroni.

2014: Purchase of Mill House in England

In 2014, George Clooney and his wife Amal Alamuddin bought the Grade II listed Mill House on an island in the River Thames at Sonning Eye in Oxfordshire, England.

2014: Wrote, directed and starred in The Monuments Men

In 2014, George Clooney co-wrote, directed, and starred in "The Monuments Men", which received negative reviews.

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2014: Rejection of 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 told the BBC that the Syrian conflict was too complicated politically to get involved in and he wanted to focus on helping the refugees.

2015: Adoption of Millie the Basset Hound

In 2015, George Clooney and Amal Alamuddin adopted a rescue dog, a Basset Hound named Millie, from the San Gabriel Valley Humane Society.

2015: Acted in Tomorrowland and A Very Murray Christmas

In 2015, George Clooney played Frank Walker in "Tomorrowland" and appeared as himself in "A Very Murray Christmas".

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2015: Golden Globe Cecil B. DeMille Lifetime Achievement Award

In 2015, George Clooney was awarded the Golden Globe Cecil B. DeMille Lifetime Achievement Award.

February 2016: Starred in Hail, Caesar!

In February 2016, George Clooney starred in "Hail, Caesar!", a comedy from the Coen brothers.

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March 2016: Meeting with Syrian Refugees and Angela Merkel

In March 2016, George Clooney and his wife Amal met with Syrian refugees in Berlin and thanked German chancellor Angela Merkel for Germany's open-door policy.

April 2016: Commemoration of Armenian Genocide Anniversary

In April 2016, George Clooney visited Armenia to commemorate the 101st anniversary of the Armenian Genocide.

2016: Endorsed Hillary Clinton for president

In 2016, George Clooney endorsed Hillary Clinton for the presidential election.

February 9, 2017: Announcement of Pregnancy

On February 9, 2017, The Talk reported that Amal Clooney was pregnant with twins.

June 6, 2017: Birth of Twins Ella and Alexander

On June 6, 2017, Amal Clooney gave birth to twins, a daughter named Ella and a son named Alexander.

June 2017: Sold Casamigos Tequila

In June 2017, Casamigos Tequila, co-founded by George Clooney, was sold to Diageo for $700 million.

October 2017: Suburbicon was released

In October 2017, George Clooney's directorial project "Suburbicon" was released.

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June 1, 2018: Highest-paid actor

According to Forbes annual ranking, George Clooney was the world's highest-paid actor for 2017–2018, earning $239 million between June 1, 2017, and June 1, 2018.

June 7, 2018: Received the AFI Life Achievement Award

On June 7, 2018, George Clooney received the 2018 AFI Life Achievement Award.

July 10, 2018: Motorcycle Accident in Sardinia

On July 10, 2018, George Clooney was hit by a car while riding a motorcycle to a film set in Sardinia, resulting in minor injuries and hospitalization.

2018: Pledge to March for Our Lives

In 2018, following the Stoneman Douglas High School shooting, George and Amal Clooney pledged $500,000 to the March for Our Lives and said they would attend the march.

March 28, 2019: Call to Boycott Sultan of Brunei's Hotels

On March 28, 2019, George Clooney wrote an open letter calling for the boycott of the Sultan of Brunei's hotels over a new law that punishes homosexual sex and adultery with death by stoning.

April 3, 2019: Implementation of Brunei's Anti-LGBTQ Law

On April 3, 2019, Brunei's new law came into force, punishing homosexual sex and adultery with death by stoning, leading to George Clooney's call for a boycott of the Sultan of Brunei's hotels.

May 31, 2019: Catch-22 premiered

On May 31, 2019, George Clooney's Hulu historical miniseries "Catch-22" premiered.

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July 2020: Hosted virtual fundraiser for Joe Biden

In July 2020, George Clooney endorsed Joe Biden for the 2020 presidential election and co-hosted a virtual fundraiser with Obama.

August 7, 2020: Donation to Lebanese Charities

On August 7, 2020, George and Amal Clooney donated $100,000 to three Lebanese charities - the Lebanese Red Cross, Impact Lebanon, and Baytna Baytak - after the devastating explosion in Beirut.

2020: Twins Speaking Italian Fluently

In 2020, George Clooney revealed that his twins, Ella and Alexander, can speak Italian fluently, despite neither he nor Amal speaking the language.

February 2021: Production of Ohio State University abuse scandal docuseries

In February 2021, it was reported that George Clooney's Smokehouse Pictures would produce a docuseries about the Ohio State University abuse scandal.

May 2021: Plans to Buy Vineyard in France

In May 2021, it was reported that George Clooney plans to buy a vineyard near the village of Brignoles, in France.

November 2021: Op-Ed Against Publishing Photos of Children

In November 2021, George Clooney wrote an op-ed to The Daily Mail, petitioning them to stop publishing photos of his children due to safety concerns.

December 22, 2021: Nationwide premiere of The Tender Bar

On December 22, 2021, George Clooney's film "The Tender Bar" had its nationwide premiere.

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January 7, 2022: The Tender Bar streaming release

On January 7, 2022, George Clooney's film "The Tender Bar" began streaming on Amazon Prime Video.

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June 2022: Production Started for Surviving Ohio State

HBO announced in June 2022 that the documentary Surviving Ohio State, started production.

September 30, 2022: Initial Release Date for Ticket to Paradise

Ticket to Paradise, starring George Clooney and Julia Roberts, was initally scheduled to release on September 30, 2022, but was later pushed back.

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October 21, 2022: Ticket to Paradise Release Date

George Clooney reunited with Julia Roberts for "Ticket to Paradise", which was released on October 21, 2022.

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December 25, 2023: The Boys in the Boat Released

George Clooney's film as a director was the biographical sports drama The Boys in the Boat which was released on December 25, 2023.

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2023: Nominated for Academy Awards in Six Categories

As of 2023, George Clooney is one of four people to have been nominated for Academy Awards in six different categories.

July 2024: Called for Biden to withdraw from 2024 election

In a July 2024 op-ed for The New York Times, George Clooney called for Joe Biden to withdraw from the 2024 presidential election due to concerns about his age and performance.

2024: Wolfs premiered

George Clooney re-teamed with Brad Pitt for the Apple TV+ thriller film Wolfs (2024) which premiered to positive reviews at the Venice International Film Festival.

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June 17, 2025: Surviving Ohio State release date

The film, titled Surviving Ohio State, is scheduled for release on June 17, 2025.

2025: Broadway Debut in Good Night, and Good Luck

In 2025, George Clooney made his Broadway debut in the stage adaption of Good Night, and Good Luck, portraying Edward R. Murrow.

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2025: Theatre World Award for Good Night, and Good Luck

In 2025, George Clooney was honored with a Theatre World Award for his performance in Good Night, and Good Luck on Broadway.

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2025: Stood by Choice to Write Op-Ed

In 2025, while promoting his Broadway play Good Night, and Good Luck, Clooney stated that he stood by his choice in writing the op-ed calling for Biden to withdraw from 2024 election saying, "I was raised to tell the truth."