No Hollywood star seems to be so intrinsically linked to Venice as George Clooney.
26 years ago he attended his first Festival of Cinema of Venice with the instant classic “Out of Sight.” Nineteen years ago, he debuted there with his second film, “Good Night, and Good Luck,” which earned him his first Best Director nomination. And a decade ago, he exchanged vows with Amal Alamuddinat the Aman Venice, a five-star Hotel located next to the Grand Canal.
Venice It is a city that he, like many, thinks is one of the most beautiful in the world. Unlike most people, he also owns a villa 15-room villa just a few hours away on Lake Como that became famous as the location for “Ocean’s Twelve.”
Although it is never so far away Veniceor of the festival of the city’s eponymous cinema, it might be surprising that Clooney hasn’t had a film debut there in seven years. But that clock resets next week when he returns with “Wolfs,” the Jon Watts-directed heist thriller that reunites him with his friend Brad Pitt. Pitt.
It will not be the first time that Clooney and Pitt grace the red carpet together festival.
Ahead of their big comeback, here are some of the most memorable moments from Clooney in Venice.
1998: “Out of Sight”
According to legend, the long love story of Clooney with Venice could have started with the premiere in the festival from Steven Soderbergh’s “Out of Sight.” At 37 and doing press alongside Jennifer Lopez, the actor would also soon take another big leap: leaving “ER” in February of that year.
2003: “Intolerable Cruelty”
This Coen brothers film, co-starring Catherine Zeta-Jones, premiered out of competition at the 60th Festival of Cinema of Venicealong with titles such as “Matchstick Men”, “Once Upon a Time in Mexico” and “The Dreamers”. Not far from there, the Italian residence of Clooney It was already as famous as he was, and a place where amateur and professional paparazzi used to keep an eye on it.
In a profile that fall, during the filming of “Ocean’s Twelve,” Vanity Fair writer, Ned Zemanobserved: “That an affable and modest Hollywood actor born in Kentucky is rapidly becoming Italy’s most popular public figure says little about Italy and a lot about Clooney“, who is not Italian, does not speak Italian and lives here only in the summer.”
2005: “Good Night, and Good Luck”
The acclaimed black-and-white dramatization of Clooney about the confrontation between journalist Edward R. Murrow and Joseph McCarthy began his successful career in competition in the 62nd Festival of Cinema of VeniceAlthough it lost the Golden Lion to Ang Lee’s “Brokeback Mountain,” it earned six Oscar nominations, including one for directing. Clooney. Next year, she will also make her Broadway debut in an adaptation.
During the trip, it also inspired a cocktail that is still served at the luxurious Belmond Hotel Cipriani on Giudecca. One night Clooney She retreated to the Hotel‘s Gabbiano bar, where her friend, legendary bar manager Walter Bolzonella, mixed her a drink of lemon, sugar, vodka, cranberry juice, ginger and Angostura bitters and named it Buona Notte in honor of the film. The two would later name a Prosecco, passion fruit and elderflower cocktail La Nina in honor of Bolzonella’s mother. Clooneywhich was served at their wedding.
2007: “Michael Clayton”
“Michael Clayton” by Tony Gilroy, which earned him Clooney an Oscar nomination for his role as a questionable law firm employee, was presented in competition in Venice. The top prize again went to an Ang Lee film, “Se, jie,” which also beat out films such as “I’m Not There,” “Atonement” and “The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford.”
2008: “Burn After Reading”
This comedy by the Coen brothers stars Clooney and Pitt chose to make his debut out of competition on opening night. Clooney He said it completed the “trilogy of idiots” he had played for the Coens, including “Intolerable Cruelty” and “O Brother, Where Art Thou?” “Seeing the parts we’re playing, I’m very worried about what they think of us,” he said. Clooney at the press conference. Pittwho had won the acting award for festival Last year, he added: “Just like George…I’m not sure if I should feel flattered or insulted.”
2011: “The Ides of March”
Another opening night out of competition for this campaign thriller directed by Clooney and starring Ryan Gosling and Philip Seymour Hoffman. As usual, Clooney He was peppered with political questions in which he noted that “it is a very difficult time to govern.”
2013: “Gravity”
Alfonso Cuarón’s “Gravity” opened the 70th edition of the Festival of Cinema of Venice before winning seven Oscars. Clooneyof course, attended the premiere alongside Sandra Bullock and was self-deprecating about his role: “There were only two parts and Sandy had the other one, so I felt like this was the only one I could get away with.”
2014: George and Amal get married
The channels were abuzz with paparazzi for the nuptials of one of Hollywood’s favorite bachelors. On September 27, Clooneythen 53, and Alamuddin, then 36, exchanged vows in front of 100 of their closest friends and family, including Bono and Matt Damon, at the lavish Aman Grand Canal Hoteloriginally a grand palace built in 1550. She wore a custom Oscar de la Renta gown of French lace, pearls and diamond detailing. He wore a black wool and cashmere tuxedo by Giorgio Armani.
2017: “Suburbicon” (“Suburbicon: Welcome to Paradise”)
Clooney returned to the festival with another of his directorial projects, “Suburbicon,” a darkly comic satire about a seemingly idyllic 1950s community starring Damon and Julianne Moore. This festival It was especially notable for being the first public appearance of the Clooney since the birth of their twins, Alexander and Ella, a few months earlier.
2023: Amal as protagonist
This time, George was Amal’s companion, who was receiving an award from the Diane von Furstenberg Foundation and the Diller-von Furstenberg Family for her work as a human rights lawyer. The powerful couple gave the festival last year a much-needed star shine amid the actors’ strike, with an appearance at the adjacent DVF Awards. “I’m here in Venice “with my husband, he’s a rising star,” Amal said that night. “I just wanted to say, you, my love, just like this city, take my breath away.”
