George Clooney Says He Hasn’t Been ‘Pigeonholed’ In Hollywood (And Makes A Great, Money-Related Point)

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The idea of a classic “movie star” feels different today, but a few celebrities still embody that traditional appeal. George Clooney is one of them. While he first became famous on the TV show ER, he’s consistently starred in major films for the last three decades, including the upcoming Netflix movie Jay Kelly, and he’s managed to do so without becoming a typical Hollywood stereotype.

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Considering Jay Kelly’s film centers on an aging actor looking back at his life and work, it’s fitting that George Clooney has some thoughts on his own career. He recently told CBS Sunday Morning that his diverse range of films is likely because he’s never starred in a huge, blockbuster franchise. In his words:

I’ve achieved a good level of success in my career, though not on the scale of massive, billion-dollar franchises. While films like the Ocean’s series did well, many of my biggest hits were solid, consistent performers. For example, Michael Clayton only cost $12 million to make, but it earned around $90 million – and it’s a really good movie, too.

Clooney has starred in many successful films that earned good profits despite relatively low budgets. However, none of these movies were massive blockbuster hits like those from the Marvel Cinematic Universe, Avatar, or Star Wars. While he did play Batman in the 1997 film Batman & Robin, it wasn’t a financial success, earning $107 million domestically on a $125 million budget.

As a huge movie fan, I always thought George Clooney had the kind of talent that would shine in anything – a Marvel film, an action blockbuster like Mission: Impossible, or even alongside the Coen brothers. He’s so naturally charismatic and down-to-earth, I could see him nailing any role, whether it’s a romance or something heavier like The Ides of March or The Midnight Sky. But it seems like he’s intentionally steered clear of those kinds of projects, so honestly, it’s probably best not to dwell on what could have been.

He explained that staying under the radar has been key to getting all these opportunities – it’s allowed him to keep creating more. He basically said:

Doing a variety of roles in films like ‘Up in the Air’ and ‘Descendants’ – movies that weren’t huge blockbusters – has been really freeing. It’s meant I haven’t been typecast as just a comedy or drama actor. That’s allowed me to take on different kinds of projects like ‘O Brother, Where Art Thou?’ and ‘Syriana,’ which is a lot of fun and keeps my work interesting.

Naturally, if George Clooney wasn’t a good actor – whether in comedies, dramas, action films, or anything else – it would have significantly impacted the roles he was offered. But he consistently delivers strong performances across all genres. He can be funny, moving, and convincingly play action scenes, all without being typecast.

It’s surprising to see action stars like Jean-Claude Van Damme and Sylvester Stallone in films like Good Night, and Good Luck or Leatherheads. But George Clooney not only acted in these movies, he also directed them. He’s said that even though these projects weren’t huge box office hits, he finds this kind of work more fulfilling than anything else.

I’m content with how my career has gone. While I haven’t had huge, blockbuster successes, that’s actually worked to my advantage. Many actors get typecast after becoming famous for one specific type of role – like action or comedy – limiting the kinds of parts they can play later on. Because I didn’t experience that level of fame, I’ve had the freedom to take on a wider variety of roles, consistently landing solid, dependable parts rather than striving for home runs.

It’s funny—I mentioned his football film, but he’s talking about his career using baseball terms. He’s so unique, he doesn’t even fit neatly into sports analogies!

I’m hearing that George Clooney is aiming for another huge hit – he’s hoping to make over a billion dollars with the next Ocean’s movie! They’re actively working on Ocean’s 14 right now, and it sounds like Andy Garcia is definitely coming back. If everything goes according to plan, they’re hoping to start filming around late summer 2026.

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2025-12-26 22:10