George Clooney: “Acting is not hard work… nobody wants to hear you complain”

These are some photos of George Clooney and Stacy Keibler from two nights ago. They went out to dinner and the paparazzi swarmed on them as they left the restaurant. According to People Magazine, Clooney & Cray-Cray were doing a double-date with Clooney’s producing partner and an unknown female, and everybody was drinking cocktails except for Clooney, who was only drinking wine. People also notes that Clooney and Keibler were “packing on the PDA” – he was rubbing Stacy’s leg and at one point, Stacy ran her fingers through his wiglet hair and a source claimed: “He just laughed and put his head on the table.”

Meanwhile, Clooney is not only campaigning for the Best Actor Oscar, he’s also campaigning for Man of the People. In a recent interview, Clooney took actors to task for complaining about how hard their job is. This is Clooney at his best, honestly:

“I cut tobacco for a living in Kentucky. That was hard work,” Clooney told the Hollywood Reporter. “I sold insurance door-to-door. That’s hard work. Acting is not hard work. If you’re lucky enough to be sitting at a table like this, you’ve been very lucky in your life. You caught the brass ring somewhere along the way. I’ve known a tremendous number of talented actors who didn’t get opportunities. Is it hard work? It’s long hours, but nobody wants to hear you complain. I remember I was selling women’s shoes at a department store, which is a lousy job.”

Clooney said no actors should complain about their profession.

“I remember I would hear of famous stars complaining in Hollywood about how hard their life was – I didn’t want to hear that,” he said. “So I don’t find it difficult. I find it challenging, and sometimes I’m very bad at it, but I don’t find it hard.”

[From The Telegraph]

This is Clooney’s subtle way of reminding Academy members of how long he toiled, unrecognized and unappreciated. He’s a man of the people, he remembers what it was like to be a struggling actor (and a struggling anything), and he doesn’t take it for granted. I like this side of Clooney, always and forever. I hate the side of him that hires bimbos to be his “girlfriends” for Oscar campaigns, though. How can I reconcile those two Clooneys?

Photos courtesy of Fame.

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60 Responses to “George Clooney: “Acting is not hard work… nobody wants to hear you complain””

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  1. Sara says:

    Take that Kristen Stewart.
    I am not a hater, but she needs to stop complain

  2. normades says:

    Excellent quote George. So agree.

    (Unfortunately sustaining mature relationships with intelligent women must qualify as “hard work” too.)

  3. Jackie says:

    he doesn’t find acting hard because he doesn’t actually act. he plays himself in every role.

    • jinni says:

      Ture. Just like Tom Cruise, Geroge, always just seem to be playing a version of himself that goes by a different name. For some actors I’m sure that the emotional places the have to go to inside of themselves in order to fully portray leaves them exhausted from playing certain parts. Imagine having to dig into that dark part of yourself for several takes that can be tiring, especially for method actors that feel they need to remain in character until the movie is completely done. Plus even though there are stunt doubles, actors still have to down a good chunk of the action scenes just not the life threatening stuff.

      So, sure acting may not be all that physically tiring, but it’s not all easy.

    • mln76 says:

      EEH one could argue that in Descendants he actually does ‘act’ I don’t think it’s as successful as the critics do and he doesn’t fully overcome his image but at least he tried. Also some of the all-time legends Katherine Hepburn, Cary Grant etc. Only ever played themselves (Or in Grant’s case the persona he created) in movies and they are still legends and a movie like North-by-Northwest or The Philadelphia Story isn’t worse for the lack of method acting. I personally enjoy the ‘Clooney’ persona and his movies.

      • jinni says:

        I’m not trying to say that method acting is the only or best way to get a good performance nor that actors that are basically playing themselves in every role can’t be entertaining. For example, I generally like Drew Barrymore’s movies because even though I know she just keeps playing herself I enjoy her personality, so I get what you’re saying about persona actors. All I’m saying is that to an actor that only ever plays them self, sure acting isn’t considered hard at all because being who they are is something they do everyday. For other actors that actually try to build a new persona for each role or take on different physical mannerisms it probably is harder for them to act because they are being someone so inherently different from their everyday selves.

        I also think that actors sometimes get too carried away with complaints about their job and sure a lot of jobs are harder, but for someone like Clooney who puts little to no effort into his craft to say that acting is so easy seems rather disingenuous.

      • mln76 says:

        @jinni this is one of those old school debates about method vs charisma. People think of ‘charismatic’ actors has not actually acting because they make it look so easy and people think of method actors as working harder. I don’t know if that’s the case because I’m not an actor. I enjoy both brands of acting for different reasons. I can only think of James Dean, Marlon Brando, or Heath Ledger as having both movie star personas and the onscreen intensity of a character actor.
        BTW I am enjoying our friendly debates I hope you are too 🙂

      • jinni says:

        @mln76: I’m enjoying this debate as well. I like both types of acting styles too. I guess my problem is that I’ve just never found Clonney’s persona charismatic. He’s appeal has always been a mystery to me.

      • laji says:

        @jinni:

        When Clooney says “It’s challenging but not hard,” he means the work of acting isn’t easy (whether he puts in the effort or not is another debate), but the job of Acting is not a mind-numbing please-let-me-win-the-lottery-so-I-can-stop-doing-this-to-pay-my-rent job. That’s why he thinks other Actors should stop wingeing about how terrible their lot is. It’s not terrible to get to be an Actor.

        So, he’s *not* being disingenuous. He’s already separated the two things.

        And no, I’m not a Clooney fan precisely because he’s always George Clooney in every movie he makes. Sometimes I can get by it (Ocean movies), but sometimes it’s too much (Brother Where Art Thou?).

        Still, I like that he acknowledges that he has a privileged job that millions of people would gladly trade their own for.

      • crtb says:

        I thought the Desendants was long, slow and boring. George should have won an oscar for Michael Clayton. He doesn’t deserve one for this crappy movie.

    • Carol says:

      George analyzed his acting ability in an interview with Charlie Rose. He said there were basically two kinds of actors: Laurence Olivier, who disappeared into his role (I count Meryl Streep in this category), and Spencer Tracy who essentially played himself in every role. He definitely identified with Spencer Tracy, saying you’ll know essentially what you get when you see him in a part. George said that he thinks he does a good job in the very narrow range he has. I think he’s very objective and self-aware about his talent. I think he does a nice job acting, but his true talent to me lies in his writing and directing. I still think “Good Night and Good Luck” should have won for Best Picture.

    • Camille says:

      I agree Jackie.

      Clooney is vastly over rated IMO.

    • laylajanelovesgossip says:

      I was just thinking that!!!Everyone is mainly playing themselves lately. No one acts anymore(except Neil Patrick Harris…lol)!!!

      Jennifer Aniston is silly goofy like her roles, Angelina is ballsy just as her roles. Samuel Jackson will curse you out and so will Tracy Morgan, Alec Baldwin, Christian Bale, Jack Nicholson etc.

    • Alizor says:

      Oh Jakie, you stole the words right out of my mouth, he never act, he plays himself all the time. Acting is about being versatile

  4. mln76 says:

    I watched the whole interview. I love Georgie but he says things like that then admits to being related to all of these famous people-Jose Ferrer, Rosemary Clooney, his dad was a newscaster etc. He’s a privileged guy with alot of family connections. I know it took him a long, long time to break into superstardom but let’s not pretend he didn’t have this huge support system.

    • jinni says:

      Exactly. It’s like when Drew Barrymore said that actresses should stop whining about their careers and how she’s made a way for herself to be a director. Sure she was right on some points, but than she never acknowledges that her last name of Barrymore belongs to one of the most illustrious acting families in America theatre amd movie history and this connection has helped her out considerably. Even if none of George Clooney’s family members personally helped him get a job, doesn’t mean that his name didn’t give him an extra edge ahead of other actors with no Hollywood lineage.

      The same goes for Paltrow, Jolie, Sheen, etc.

      • mln76 says:

        Actually since Jon and Angie have such a combative relationship (the man barely paid child support) and he’s burned so many bridges and become such a pariah in Hollywood I think he’s done more harm than good for Angelina’s career. Not the same as being a 3rd generation Barrymore with Speilberg as a godfather(Paltrow too).

      • jinni says:

        @mln76:
        Angie might have had a bad relationship with her dad and he may have burned some bridges within the Hollywood community, but that doesn’t change the fact that he was considered a good actor and that some people within the business probably thought that his talents could have been passed on to her and thus giving her an advantage that other actors without famous actor parents don’t have.

      • mln76 says:

        I can’t say yes or no to that. There is obviously some advantage to having family in the same business. But having Speilberg in your corner is different than having a moderately successful actor who made a lot of enemies in the past in your family. I think the advantage Angie had was that she had a blueprint of how to get ahead but she had to prove herself which she did and eventually became 10x the star that her dad ever was. It’s different than being put in ET at 5 or Hook at 12 and pushed with the real power players behind the scenes. Honestly I don’t think Clooney had the advantages that Drew or GOOPY had either. I think his family did the same for him as Angie’s gave him a blueprint and a support system but no one handed him his career it took him 20 years or so to break. It’s ironic because GOOPY especially hasn’t proved to have a long term success anywhere near what Angie or George has had. Which proves nepotism can only get you so far. Or else Rumor Willis would have an Oscar already.

      • jinni says:

        @mln76: Sure maybe the advantages that Paltrow and Barrymore had were more than Jolie and Clooney, but even that “blueprint” as you call it gives them an edge that an actor that has just graduated from acting school or has only done high school theater doesn’t have. Those “blueprints” have most likely made building their (Jolie and Clooney)careers easier than an actor with absolutely no connections within Hollywood. I’m sure that even though they’ve struggled, the knowledge that someone in their family was capable of making it in the business was a big encouragement that their dreams are possible. It’s like when one person in the family finally graduated high school or college that gives other members of the family more hope that they too can reach that level in a way that someone that doesn’t have that kind of role model might not have.

      • mln76 says:

        @jinni I can’t disagree with your assessment one bit.

    • k says:

      I read his quote as honoring those who have to do that kind of work, and not necessarily reminding people of his “humble” roots.

      I think he’s just trying to emphasize the fact that he knows how damn lucky he is, is grateful for that luck, and is put off by those actors who are not grateful.

  5. Kali says:

    You take George You Like + George You Don’t Like divide by .75 then multiply by 100 then subtract the age of his lastest girlfriend and you should come up with a George you can tolerate. That’s how you reconcile the two Georges. You’re welcome.

  6. hairball says:

    I never found him attractive – don’t get why he’s supposed to be so attractive.

  7. Intercontinental says:

    Err..right so, let’s look at this logically shall we? As you sit there casting your vote for the award season and mulling over who and what you have seen are you;

    A) going to give your vote to the person who doesn’t think acting is hard and therefore doesn’t pack so much work and emotional toil in…

    B) going to give your vote to the person who worked incredibly hard, did the research packed in the over and above hours and wholly deserves the recognition even if it wasn’t the most orgasm enducing performance the important thing is they tried and worked hard..
    ****
    @Kaiser; hun, you can’t, we’ve tried!
    ****
    WTF is she wearing? Huh…

  8. lucy2 says:

    Whether he’s campaigning or not, it’s refreshing to hear an actor say that, and be aware that there are much “harder” jobs out there.

    • Astrid says:

      I with you on this comment! It’s tiresome to listen to actors go on and on about how hard their jobs are. Honestly, it can’t be that bad or nobody would aspire to the profession.

  9. Marjalane says:

    I can’t decide about the “wiglet”. Sometimes it really looks like it, other times, not so much. His dad still has a head of hair, so maybe George just needs a better cut.

  10. LucyOriginal says:

    “How can I reconcile those two Clooneys?”

    Kaiser, I don’t have an answer for you. I just can only answer for myself: I can’t reconcile.

    ps: I think the “unknown” female is the producer’s wife.

    pps: it must be hard for GC to campaign for the Oscar’s when Angie is supporting Brad full force. His campaign is just getting pathetic…

  11. toto says:

    dunno why i don’t trust this guy ..he has the vibe of un caught fake politician

  12. Bo says:

    I don’t understand why everyone keeps saying they are “packing on the PDA.” I’ve never seen them interact as anything more than friends, including the few times Stacy has taken GC in a neck hold. I’ve not seen one kiss from them except him kissing her hand. They are trying to pull off this madly-in-love couples thing, but I don’t see the love (as in the the Lively-Reynolds variety). If you want to see Stacy’s former PDA skills (circa Jan. 2011), google “Stacy Keibler Chris Evans Sunset Tower.” Stacy is all over Evans as his friends look on and appear to be uncomfortable.

    • LucyOriginal says:

      Thanks for the video. She seemed very needy and all over Chris Evans while he was totally “not into her”. Ha! She does not come across as the “independent girl” GC’s PR team is trying to sell…

  13. zesty says:

    Was he moonlighting as a tobacco cutter during his stint on The Facts of Life?

  14. Mitch Buchanan Rocks says:

    Chris Cooper, now he is a great actor!
    Good post Toto 🙂 GC does give off that vibe, also wonder the real reason he has to hire these ladies.

  15. LeeLoo says:

    Am I the only one who thinks he actually enjoys being with Stacy? The last few were definitely hired side pieces and Stacy probably is too. However, I am beginning to think he genuinely cares for her. Also I think it’s just a weird haircut.

    He needs to knock off the Oscar campaign. It makes him look desperate.

  16. Cathy says:

    Could you please post a couple of pictures of Clooneys butt, he has a nice one.

  17. GirlyGirl says:

    Clooney is the shit.

    At the Toronto Film Festival this year he shook every single fan’s hand outside a theatre while handlers seemed to be begging him to just go in an sit down.

    A seriously good guy, and really one of the people…

    Swoon…

  18. Messenger says:

    I beg to differ with those who attribute clooney’s success to nepotism. Maybe it is more prevalent now when every talentless wannabe can have a reality show and nauseate the general public, but not back when he got started…IMO the first thing that helps is good looks…you can get by on that alone in show biz. But if you want a viable career there must be talent, work ethic and perseverance. Then there is that undefinable attribute called star quality which clooney has. no amount of naysaying can take that away from him. as for winning the oscar, the process is so flawed and biased as to be virtually useless in reflecting skill, artistry and worthiness. it is for this reason i wonder why they pursue that little gold weasel so relentlessly. isn’t good work and the resulting satisfaction enough of a reward? it would be for me.

    • whatevs says:

      many people with really good looks and talent never really make it. sometimes i tune on a lame tv movie and i see all these actors who are naturally good looking and can act a lot better than many out there, but they never make it. i don’t attribute george’s success all to nepotism though, many with a support system have also failed. like denise crosby. i think she’s close to clooney’s age

  19. guest says:

    I don’t get why Stacy would have anything to do with George getting an Oscar, what benefit would that would bring to his Oscar Campaign. Why does he need to prove this relationship, something does not quite right between the two of them. Actually, their relationship has given him a lot of negative publicity. Also, he knows how to work the gossip. If you go back through gossip sites descriptions he gives many of the girls he dates a lot PDA. He touches their legs, they run their hands through his hair, etc. This is no different from other photos and descriptions. I have seen that video of Stacy and Chris Evans hugging, at least he is around her age.

  20. lin234 says:

    Clooney and Pit will eventually get a Oscar just like Sandra Bullock. I think the people on the Oscar committee don’t like giving them out to more mainstream actors. Also, it gives the Oscar a lot more allure if major stars need to wait for them.

    Can you imagine the media if Angie and Brad ever got Oscars on the same night? That would be fun to watch.

  21. Kara Ann says:

    I really like this side of Clooney. My read on the “quit complaining” stuff is that even an actor that toils away creating a memorable character is in a privileged position that will garner them a substantial paycheck and, possibly, all sorts of public approbation from his peers. In comparison to that many people toil their butts off laying brick, running the office, or washing the dishes daily while getting little compensation and far fewer “atta boys”. I think that this is what he is acknowledging. Also, I think that he’s right to do so.
    He has perspective which many “big stars” lack in abundance.

  22. TXCinderella says:

    Bout time a celeb told it like it is. We all know their lives are not hard. Now if someone could relay this information to Kristin Stewart, who seems to think that she’s got it so hard being famous and all.

  23. whatevs says:

    yes thanks for keeping it real g.c.

  24. Denise says:

    With the rare exception; celebrities are all full of crap and they take themselves way too seriously when many of them can’t complete an intelligent or coherent thought. I hope that they stay out of the election next year.

  25. Sue says:

    He might want to have a chat with those actors who spend months training for the action films they do… or the actors who take on emotionally draining roles… and there is K. Stewart who complains about pretty much everything….

  26. Kim says:

    WOW! For a man who used to bug me with his views on politics etc. this is the smartest and truest thing Ive ever heard a celeb say.

  27. Granger says:

    He isn’t saying he doesn’t work at his job. He’s just saying it isn’t as hard as, say, construction or surgery or waiting tables. Think about the logistics of a successful actor’s job. He makes millions of dollars for working just six to eight weeks on a standard film, and can choose to only make one film per year if he wants and still live like a king. When he’s working, he spends most of his days in a comfortable, temperature-controlled trailer, and is then chauffered to and from set in a limo (and if you’ve ever been an extra on an outside film set on a hot summer day, you’ll know why the star treatment would be so amazing!). It’s not like he’s on his feet for 8 hours serving food in a diner, or pouring concrete all day long. He’s pampered and privileged, which makes it easier to do his job, and which makes it a lot less like hard work than pretty much any other job. Clooney rocks for acknowledging that. Love him.

  28. NM9005 says:

    I think every job is hard work. Sometimes emotionally, sometimes physically. Whether you love or hate your job doesn’t matter.

    Acting is hard in my opinion because you can go for hours on end without doing anything. You do one scene and there they go adjusting lighting, costumes and whatnot. That seems SO incredibly boring that it must be emotionally exhausting. 12-hours days of doing one scene sounds horrible.

    My friends works in a store where there are barely customers: too much time to think she says and when she’s home she’s so tired of doing nothing :).
    I loved my summerjobs (cleaning) and was constantly busy and physically tired but the reward after it was finished balanced out the shit which made me think the job was easy and rewarding.

    It depends on so many factors.

  29. Angb says:

    KStew doesn’t complain about acting. She’s said she loves acting. She complained about the paps. GC said not to complain about acting. There is a difference. Like George, don’t like his bimbos.

  30. Jenn says:

    Why has no one said anything about George dying his hair. A couple of years ago, his hair was almost snow white like his father. Now he looks like he has done some serious Grecian formula. Photo from Oct 11
    http://www.wireimage.com/image/128775202?r=128775203,128775202,128775201,128775199&st=Search

    I personally like his father’s looks more than his.

  31. guest says:

    George is trying hard to identify with the struggling actor and the everyday person, but today on the internet I read he brought Stacy a $15,000 Cartier bracelet and $100,000 in gifts for Christmas . If it is true ,that is gross. I hardly think he can identify with struggling actor when he can drop that type of money on some girl he has known for a few months.

  32. Kathlean says:

    George is a self-righteous phony. He hires/contracts shameless ESCORTS in order to maintain his own PR/public relations/media campaign. Glooney isn’t a role model for anything other than for pathetic ESCORT servicing.