You are viewing the archive: George Clooney
Cover Stars || ||

Watch Your Back, Jimmy Fallon! Jason Bateman Sees A New York Talk Show In His Future.

Watch Your Back, Jimmy Fallon! Jason Bateman Sees A New York Talk Show In His Future.

As mediocre as Identity Thief  is, it didn't cool my appreciation for Jason Bateman. For one thing, his work on Arrested Development was Sofa King good that he'd have to suck for a long time to lose me. For another, I don't think we've seen the full extent of this guy's talent, and, in GQ's April-issue Q&A with Bateman, the actor lets drop that, in addition to a fruitful career as a director, he'd like to have a New York-based talk show down the road.

Here's what he tells GQ writer Brendan Vaughan:

GQ: Jeffrey Tambor [who plays George Bluth in Arrested Development] once compared you to Johnny Carson in the way that you play the straight man but with this dark centerWhen I read that, it occurred to me that you might be a good talk-show host. Have you ever thought about that?

Jason Bateman: That's interesting, I was just talking about that. Without getting too specific about it, because I can't, I've thought seriously about it as recently as last year. Having just come back from doing a week of talk shows last week [to promote Identity Thief], I was talking to Amanda about, in twenty years—when the girls go to college and we can finally move to New York, which is what I've been wanting to do forever—if television will have me, I would love to do that. Regis retired at what, 80? So in twenty years I'll be 64. To host a talk show then, that would be a fun way to do the last bit.

I like that idea. Bateman is quick-witted and outrageous — when Vaughan requests Hazelnut-flavored Coffee-Mate in his cup of joe, the actor tells him, "I think your vagina's bleeding" — he's thoughtful and, as an actor, he's able to easily shift from funny to serious without grinding his gears. He's also that rare child performer who carved out a successful second act for himself in adulthood, and that tells me he'll be great at interviewing celebrities because he understands the brutality of show business. If he's serious, he'd make a fine talk-show host some day, and NBC will probably be looking for one once it burns through all the talent it currently has.

In the meantime, Bateman is working on his directorial debut, Bad Words, and when Vaughan asks him how he sees his career evolving as a hyphenate, he replies:

"As opposed to Ron Howard's career, which is exclusively directing and producing, no acting, and like [Jon] Favreau's career and Pete Berg's career, where it's mostly directing—I think, more realistically, I'd like it to be more like George Clooney's career or Ben Stiller's career or Ben Affleck's career as far as splitting the time between acting and directing. I'm so... I just vibrate at how excited I am about the complexity of the process, of making a fake world for an audience. It's not a God complex, but that's what directors are doing: They're creating a fake world, and it is four-walled. It's 360 degrees. When a movie is great, you don't notice the effort. It is a real world that you've just watched. There's no better job in the world than directing a film. I'm convinced of it."

Who's bleeding now, Mr. Bateman?

Photo credits: Peggy Sirota/GQ

[GQ]

Follow Frank DiGiacomo on Twitter.

Follow Movieline on Twitter. 

Newswire || ||

Disney's Mysterious '1952' Morphs Into 'Tomorrowland'

Disney's Mysterious '1952' Morphs Into 'Tomorrowland'

From yester-year - in this case, 1952 - to tomorrow, Disney is so far only offering a glimpse into Brad Bird's live-action feature in the form of a new title.
more »

Biz Break || ||

Skyfall U.K.'s Biggest Film Ever; Matt Damon Eyes George Clooney Pic: Biz Break

Skyfall U.K.'s Biggest Film Ever; Matt Damon Eyes George Clooney Pic: Biz Break

Skyfall has overtaken the likes of Avatar in Britain at the box office. Also in Wednesday's round-up of news, Matt Damon is a possible addition to a George Clooney-directed period drama; Les Misérables is set for Xmas Imax bow; the Academy will honor Pedro Almodovar; and the Dubai International Film Festival is removing pro-Syrian ruler filmmakers films from its roster.

Skyfall is U.K.'s Highest Grossing Film of All Time
In 40 days of release, the 23rd James Bond movie has grossed $151,795,059 to become the highest grossing film in Great Britain ever, overtaking previous records set by Avatar. Directed by Sam Mendes, Skyfall opened in 587 U.K. theaters on October 26th, Deadline reports.

Matt Damon Eyes George Clooney's Monuments
Damon is in negotiations to join period drama The Monuments Men, which will be directed by George Clooney in January in Europe. Along with the two, the film will star Daniel Craig, Bill Murray, Cate Blanchett, Jean Dujardin, John Goodman, Hugh Bonneville and Bob Balaban. The story "confronts the final chapter of Germany’s rule, which came down to the absolute destruction of everything that makes a culture keep its standing, including the lives that are lost and the sacrifices that are made," Deadline reports.

Les Misérables to Bow in Select Imax Theaters
The film will open in select Imax theaters in New York, L.A., Toronto and Montreal the same day as its nationwide Christmas-day release. It will have an extensive Imax roll out internationally in January, Variety reports.

Academy to Honor Pedro Almodovar in London
Oscar-winning Spanish director Pedro Almodovar will be honored by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences in the British capital. Special guests will include his brother Agustin Almodovar, filmmaker Stephen Frears, fashion designer Jean-Paul Gaultier, singer Alberto Iglesias and scriptwriter Peter Morgan, THR reports.

Dubai and Cairo Film Fests Remove Pro-Syrian Ruler Films
The Dubai International Film Festival dropped Basil al-Khatib’s historical drama Mariam, Abdul Latif Abdul Hamid's The Lover and Joud Said's My Last Friend from its official selection this year after protests from the Arab film community due to the directors' support for Syria's dictator, Bashar al-Assad. Dubai takes place December 9 - 16. Screen reports.

Biz Break || ||

Hugh Jackman Eyes 'X-Men' Wolverine Reprisal; George Clooney & Paul Greengrass Plot Crime Thriller: Biz Break

Hugh Jackman Eyes 'X-Men' Wolverine Reprisal; George Clooney & Paul Greengrass Plot Crime Thriller: Biz Break

Hugh Jackman is in talks for the role in the film that is looking like an X-Men: First Class sequel. Also in the news, Angela Bassett is joining Gregg Araki's latest; Plans are in the works for a Humphrey Bogart Film Festival; China's box office set to surge to number one; And the Hamptons International Film Festival gets new leadership.
more »

Newswire || ||

George Clooney Nabs Stars For WWII Drama; Stars Share Their Hurricane Sandy Tweets: Biz Break

George Clooney Nabs Stars For WWII Drama; Stars Share Their Hurricane Sandy Tweets: Biz Break

Also in Monday's round-up of news briefs, RZA is set to direct two new projects; The Loneliest Planet tops the Specialty Box Office in an otherwise uneventful weekend. And Peter Fonda takes on jury duty.
more »

Politics || ||

George Clooney On Innocence of Muslims Makers: Freedom of Speech Means 'The Idiots Get To Have Their Say'

George Clooney On Innocence of Muslims Makers:  Freedom of Speech Means 'The Idiots Get To Have Their Say'

This idea came to me before I actually saw Argo on Tuesday night, but now that I have seen Ben Affleck's gripping, well-directed film, I can't let it go.  When I learned about the plot of the movie — in which a CIA agent (Affleck), a Hollywood make-up artist (John Goodman) and a movie producer (the wonderful Alan Arkin) — gin up a fake movie to rescue a group of diplomats trapped in Iran during the hostage crisis — it struck me that Argo was the inverse or the flip side of another fake movie that got a lot of press this past summer: Innocence of Muslims. more »

On the Scene || ||

Ben Affleck, Bryan Cranston Chat Argo At Glittering NYC Premiere

-New York, NY - 10/09/2012 - New York Premiere of Warner Bros. New Film "Argo"-PICTURED: John Goodman,Alan Arkin,Ben Affleck,Bryan Cranston-PHOTO by: Marion Curtis/Startraksphoto.com-Filename: MC602374.JPG-Location: Time Warner Screening Room and Porterhouse RestaurantStartraks Photo New York, NY For licensing please call 212-414-9464 or email sales@startraksphoto.com

Tuesday night was a celebrity bonanza at the Time Warner Center in New York's Columbus Circle for the New York premiere of director/star Ben Affleck's acclaimed Argo. Stars Bryan Cranston, Alan Arkin, John Goodman as well as producers George Clooney and Grant Heslov were just part of the cortege of A-listers and New York glitterati who dined at the Porter House Steakhouse where Affleck held the spotlight in the bar talking to folks. Guests were divided into two screenings of the Toronto and Telluride film festivals world premiere based on the true story about a CIA agent (Affleck) who rescues six Americans hiding in the Canadian embassy at the dawn of the Iranian hostage crisis that began in November 1979. ML caught up with actor Bryan Cranston as well as Affleck at the event.
more »

Newswire || ||

WATCH: Mrs.-Tom-Cruise-Hopeful Nazanin Boniadi's Nespresso Commercial With George Clooney

WATCH: Mrs.-Tom-Cruise-Hopeful Nazanin Boniadi's Nespresso Commercial With George Clooney

Okay, so you've devoured Maureen Orth's Vanity Fair cover story on Scientology's work-intensive but ill-fated attempt to pair Tom Cruise with Scientologist actress Nazanin Boniadi — a name that will launch a thousand late-night talk-show jokes. Now check out the elegant Boniadi's sexy Nespresso ad with George Clooney, an overseas commercial that should also launch a thousand late-night talk show jokes.  more »

Biz Break || ||

George Clooney Raises $625K For Obama At Geneva Event; Noah Baumbach and Brian De Palma On Tap for New York Film Festival: Biz Break

George Clooney Raises $625K For Obama At Geneva Event; Noah Baumbach and Brian De Palma On Tap for New York Film Festival: Biz Break

Also in Monday afternoon's round-up of news briefs, the Hamptons International Film Festival revealed its list of the "10 Actors to Watch" for this October's event. Minnie Driver joins a "horror musical." A Toronto and Cannes film is headed for U.S. theaters. Abbie Cornish joins a Fellini pic. And two jail-bound punks flee Russia after being convicted of Russian Orthodox Church offense.
more »

Biz Break || ||

George Clooney, Grant Heslov Join August, Jennifer Connelly to Board Noah: Biz Break

George Clooney, Grant Heslov Join August, Jennifer Connelly to Board Noah: Biz Break

Also in Tuesday morning's round up of news briefs, BFI London Film Festival sets October dates and a revamp, former stripper colleagues accuse Channing Tatum of taking their experiences for Magic Mike and Welsh actor Victor Spinetti has died.
more »

Biz Break || ||

Prometheus Heads to IMAX, George Clooney to Direct Comandante: Biz Break

Prometheus Heads to IMAX, George Clooney to Direct Comandante: Biz Break

Also for Thursday morning's look at news headlines, Kevin Smith will embark on a tour promoting a Slamdance film, Obama cha-chings at an exclusive fundraiser in L.A. with A-listers, Matthew Modine lands a role in Steve Jobs pic and New York's Stony Brook Film Festival set to bow this summer with No God.
more »

Biz Break || ||

George Clooney to Be Feted at Charity Bash, Michael Mann Heads to Venice Jury: Biz Break

George Clooney to Be Feted at Charity Bash, Michael Mann Heads to Venice Jury: Biz Break

Also in Monday morning's brief roundup, the American Black Film Festival will celebrate Think Like a Man, Moonrise Kingdom and Best Exotic Marigold Hotel reign in the specialty box office, while The Avengers passes a new milestone. And the team behind 21 Jump Street take on resuscitating a floundering project.
more »

Quick Take || ||

The Tom Cruise/Wilford Brimley Conundrum

The Tom Cruise/Wilford Brimley Conundrum

"That's right, Tom Cruise is the same age that Wilford Brimley was when Brimley starred as a grandfather in Cocoon" — as are George Clooney, Eddie Murphy and eight others featured in this new, head-exploding context. "[... I]t's not really a statement on the age of Cruise or the other people on this list — it's the fact that Wilford Brimley was only 49 years old when he starred as an elderly man who leaves Earth with a group of aliens in an effort to escape the specter of death. (His friends were played by the more age-appropriate 76-year-old Don Ameche, 75-year-old Jessica Tandy, 73-year-old Hume Cronyn, 76-year-old Jack Gilford; today, Brimley is still only 77 years old.)" [Huffington Post]

Newswire || ||

Gangster Squad and Gravity: Good News, Bad News From Warner Bros.

Gangster Squad and Gravity: Good News, Bad News From Warner Bros.

There's good news and bad news from Warner Bros. about Gravity and Gangster Squad, two of its most anticipated fall releases. Which do you prefer first? The bad news? Why, of course!
more »

Newswire || ||

Starmageddon: Clooney's Obama Fundraiser Gets a Name

Starmageddon - George Clooney, President ObamaMovieline.com

Los Angeles traffic is famous for getting rotten when big happenings hit town, but George Clooney's fundraising bash for President Obama promises to make the Thursday commute even more dreadful. And so, in the grand tradition of traffic-paralyzing presidential visits of the past (or: Obama-jams!) and 2011's infamous "Carmageddon" (remember that?), POTUS's social visit tonight to Clooney's canyon pad -- for a $40,000-a-plate shindig expected to raise $15 million for the Obama re-election campaign -- has a name: Starmageddon.
more »