Top 10 George Clooney

George Clooney has come a long way since his humble TV beginnings. Now one of the world’s top actors – and hottest bachelors – he’s part of a modern day Rat Pack that has brought him fame and fortune. In recent years he’s taken on more serious roles and turned his hand at directing, and it's fair to say if Clooney’s involved, it’s bound to be a success. Take a look at Gorgeous George’s top 10.

His Top 10 Films

ER Season 1 (12 episodes, 1996-2007)

George Clooney's first regular gig came in the form of a TV series called E/R. But not the one you’re thinking of. 10 years after this short-lived show, he starred in the similar, but rather more successful, E.R. as Dr. Doug Ross. The role shot Clooney to fame and he became an instant sex symbol, staying with the series until 1999, and returning to guest star in 2009, along with the rest of the original main cast, for the fifteenth and final season of the programme.

Rent

From Dusk Till Dawn (1995)

Directed by Robert Rodriguez and written by Quentin Tarantino, From Dusk Till Dawn was Clooney’s first major film role. Before he was cast, John Travolta, Michael Madsen, Steve Buscemi, and Christopher Walken were offered the role of Seth Gecko, but they all turned it down due to scheduling conflicts. Harvey Keitel, Salma Hayek, Juliette Lewis and Tarantino co-starred.

Rent

Out Of Sight (2004)

Clooney has described this as one of his favourite films because it was the first time he ‘had a say’ on a film set, forging a collaboration with director Steven Soderbergh, who was grabbing his opportunity to do a commercially successful film and open up his future options. Clooney’s famous chemistry with Jennifer Lopez (in a role which almost went to Sandra Bullock) helped both their careers no end, and Samuel L. Jackson and Michael Keaton cameoed for free.

Rent Watch Trailer

O Brother Where Art Thou (2005)

People have a habit of signing on for Coen brothers films on spec, and Clooney hadn’t even read the script when he agreed to do this. And his part, like most of the others, involved singing. After practicing for weeks, his vocals ended up being dubbed by Country/Blues singer Dan Tyminski. As his family is from Kentucky, Clooney perfected his accent by asking a relative to record themselves reading part of the script.

Rent Watch Trailer

Solaris (2002)

James Cameron was originally considered to direct but opted to produce instead, allowing Steven Soderbergh to step into the director chair. Apparently, Soderbergh offered Daniel Day-Lewis the lead role in this science fiction drama, but Clooney wrote to him asking to be considered for the part. Luckily, Day-Lewis turned it down anyway and Clooney was over the moon.

Rent Watch Trailer

Good Night And Good Lucke (2006)

Signalling his penchant for more serious subjects, Clooney directed, produced and starred in this film about 1950s television journalist Edward R. Murrow's famous war of words with Senator Joseph McCarthy. The first black-and-white film to receive a Best Picture Oscar nomination since The Elephant Man (1980), Clooney paid himself a dollar each for his three duties, but probably made a few more cents in percentage points of the $54m worldwide gross.

Rent Watch Trailer

Syriana (2007)

Clooney won a Best Supporting Actor Oscar for his performance, shaving his hairline and putting on 2½ stone to play CIA operative Robert Barnes. The weight gain took its toll though, causing a spinal injury during one of the film’s stunts, which resulted in severe migraines that stopped him from doing press for Ocean's Twelve. The injury also meant that he couldn't pass insurance tests for Good Night, and Good Luck, so Clooney offered to mortgage his own house to fund the film.

Rent Watch Trailer

Ocean's Eleven (2001)

Made by Section Eight, the production company Clooney formed with Soderbergh, the Ocean’s trilogy assembled an impressive ensemble cast that included Brad Pitt, Matt Damon and Julia Roberts, and it has proved extremely lucrative. Ocean’s Eleven is Clooney’s biggest financial hit, grossing over $444 million worldwide, and – catching the Vegas bug during filming – the cast did a bit of gambling off-hours. Inevitably, there's some disagreement about who won the most.

Rent Watch Trailer

Michael Clayton (2004)

Denzel Washington turned down the role of Michael Clayton, and so – at first – did Clooney, equally sceptical working with first-time director Tony Gilroy (the writer behind The Bourne Identity and Armageddon screenplays). Clooney did eventually sign on, of course, his conviction rewarded by Gilroy’s slow-burning corporate thriller which offers powerhouse acting roles all round, and earned Clooney his first Best Actor Oscar nomination.

Rent Watch Trailer

Up in the Air (2010)

Although writer and director Jason Reitman began writing the screenplay in 2002, opportunities to make Thank You for Smoking (2005) and Juno (2007) came about first. Scripting the three main roles with Clooney, Vera Farmiga and Anna Kendrick in mind, Reitman actually went to Clooney’s Lake Como villa in the hope of getting him to sign up. Fortunately, he loved it, committing to the project there and then. Up in the Air received six Oscar nominations, including another Best Actor nod for Clooney.

Rent Watch Trailer

Tegan Kniveton