Why George Clooney is stepping away from acting

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George Clooney is one of Hollywood’s most successful leading men, not to mention one of its most handsome, at least according to some standards (and OK, a whole lot of people). However, in a recent interview with the U.K.’s Sunday Times, Clooney says his acting days may be numbered—if not already behind him.

“Look, I acted for a long time and, you know, I’m 56,” he said. “I’m not the guy that gets the girl anymore … I shouldn’t be the guy that gets the girl.”

Well, that point is certainly debatable!

However, Clooney goes on to say that if the right part came along, he would certainly take the role. He also points out that he no longer needs the money that comes along with big Hollywood acting jobs.

george clooney photo
Getty Images | Jeff Spicer

“But, look, if somebody’s got Paul Newman in ‘The Verdict’, I’d jump. But there aren’t that many like that,” he said. “Acting used to be how I paid the rent, but I sold a tequila company for a billion f****** dollars. I don’t need money.”

He is referring to his tequila company, Casamigos, which he sold along with his business partners, Rande Gerber and Mike Meldeman, back in June.

While Clooney says you might not see much more of him on screen, he will still be putting work in behind the camera. He wrote, produced and directed “Suburbicon,” which is in theaters now. The film stars Matt Damon and Julianne Moore and explores race and greed in 1950s America.

suburbicon photo
Getty Images | Kevin Winter

Clooney was paid a mere $50,000 to produce the film over a period of two years, and if it doesn’t make any money, he says that’s just fine by him.

“You look at what I’ve been in over the past 15 years, for the most part they weren’t going to get made if I didn’t do them. Nobody was going to make ‘Good Night, and Good Luck,’ ‘Michael Clayton’ or ‘Up in the Air,’ and I fought to get those out there,” Clooney said. “Pitt’s doing that a lot too. Brad does it, and that’s a good use of celebrity, or whatever the f*** that is. I’ll make money other ways if I have to. I used to do coffee commercials.”

Wherever the next stage of Clooney’s career takes him (even if that’s right at home with wife, Amal, and twins, Ella and Alexander), we wish him all the best!

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About the Author
Kate Streit
Kate Streit lives in Chicago. She enjoys stand-up comedy, mystery novels, memoirs, summer and pumpkin spice anything.

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