Art, in all its kaleidoscopic forms, is a winding road towards creative emancipation. While the destination may differ for many, the journey is a vessel for expression, identity, and cultural reflection. But within this shared voyage, not all artists are forged from the same fire. Their aspirations diverge, their muses whisper in different tongues, and their motivations? They are shaped by the unique weather of their personal histories. Enter George Clooney. With decades of Tinseltown tenure, Clooney has danced with fame and carved his own corner of cinematic legend. Yet, beneath the glitz and glamor, lies an early lesson handed down by his father.
So, what wisdom did young Clooney carry to fame? Was it louder than a lifetime of applause?
the reasons behind making Good Night, and Good Luck
, into a play, to Patti LuPone. He pointed out that art cannot lead in filmography because it takes a good few years to make a movie, but that is not the case with theater. “My father was an anchorman,
” he said, recalling his father’s “lesson
,” one not dressed in designer, but rooted in integrity and power dynamics
.
George Clooney and Patti LuPone for Variety’s #ActorsOnActors, photographed by Emilio Madrid at the Rockefeller Center 🖤 pic.twitter.com/B3ygVJdrJR
— Variety (@Variety) April 22, 2025
“You have to challenge people with more power than you and defend people with less power than you,”
Clooney recounted. Although his father never lost sleep over what road Clooney took in the future, this was the only winning formula he truly believed in. Like father, like son, Clooney clutched on to the pearls of wisdom, calling it a “good lesson in life.”
Though George Clooney still visits his parents, things have changed in the landscape.
George Clooney talks about the differences he observes when visiting his parents
In his conversation with Variety’s Actors on Actors, George Clooney did not mince his words while outing his true intentions with Good Night, and Good Luck’
s Broadway turn. He reflected that, though finding one’s place in the all-consuming power dynamics is a calculative task, people’s interests are more or less the same. However, when he visits his parents in Kentucky, he sees Confederate flags everywhere.
George Clooney and Patti LuPone – Variety. Broadway Actors on Actors pic.twitter.com/O0ouuq7ir6
— hathaross ® (@aina_17er) April 22, 2025
Clooney remains friends with people with whom he disagrees. However, he stressed the importance of conversing despite the difference of opinion because some of them, he believes, “are worth fighting for.”
While Clooney has always maintained a clear political position
, his Broadway turn with Good Night, and Good Luck
stems from reasons beyond his personal to a shared history.
Read More: 2 Time Sexiest Man Alive, George Clooney Has An Immortal Advice for the New Title Holder
What do you think of George Clooney’s father’s advice? Let us know in the comments below!