2024-08-13 20:03:00
George Clooney says he is “a little irritated” by director Quentin Tarantino making comments about whether he is considered a movie star.
The Hollywood actor had his first significant big screen part when he starred opposite Tarantino in 1996 cult vampire film From Dusk Till Dawn, directed by Robert Rodriguez.
Clooney, 63, was asked by GQ magazine about whether he should point out to Tarantino that he is available for casting.
He replied saying: “Listen, I did a movie with Quentin. He played my brother.”
Hollywood actor Brad Pitt, who was also being interviewed, jumped in saying: “Oh, that’s right. He was pretty good in it too.”
However, Clooney said Tarantino’s acting was “OK”, before adding: “Quentin said some shit about me recently, so I’m a little irritated by him.
“He did some interview where he was naming movie stars, and he was talking about you (Brad), and somebody else, and then this guy goes, ‘Well, what about George?’ He goes, ‘he’s not a movie star’. And then he literally said something like, ‘Name me a movie since the millennium.’ And I was like, ‘Since the millennium?’ That’s kind of my whole fucking career.”
While regular Tarantino collaborator Pitt was laughing, Clooney said: “So now I’m like, all right, dude, fuck off. I don’t mind giving him shit. He gave me shit.
“But no, look, we’re really lucky we got to work with these great directors. (The) director and (the) screenplay is what keeps you alive.
“And I learned that after doing some really bad films. You can’t make a good film out of a bad script. You can’t do it. You can make a bad film out of a good script. You can fuck it up.”
It is unclear which interview Clooney is referring to.
In 2022, Tarantino hit out at the “Marvelisation of Hollywood”, referring to the increase in superhero movies.
He told Tom Segura’s 2 Bears, 1 Cave podcast: “You have all these actors who have become famous playing these characters. But they’re not movie stars.
“Captain America is the star, or Thor is the star. I think that’s been said a zillion times … but it’s these franchise characters that become a star.”
Tarantino directed Pitt in the films Once Upon A Time… In Hollywood and Inglourious Basterds, and also directed an ER episode featuring Clooney.
Elsewhere in the GQ interview, Pitt says that he became aware of Clooney after the crash involving Diana, Princess of Wales as he was outspoken about feeling “horrible” being followed by the paparazzi.
Pitt said: “It’s really invasive to know people are out there and they’re hiding in the bushes. It’s really a shitty, shitty feeling.
“And so George got up and commented on that after Diana, Princess of Wales. And that’s when I saw ‘this guy’s got something that the rest of us don’t’. Like, I saw the leader in that moment.”
Clooney said he and his Ocean’s Eleven and Burn After Reading co-star have been “friends for a long time”, and they check in on each other often.
He also said: “We deal in very serious subject matters, with very serious bad guys, and we don’t want to have photos of our kids out there.
“So we have to work hard at trying to stay private, and it’s tricky, as you can imagine. There’s times you will avoid going to the hospital with something that you would normally go to the hospital for.”
While Pitt agreed, Clooney added: “You will assess how bad something is before you go.”
They will star opposite one another in Wolfs, about fixers forced to work together.
The Future of Star Power in Hollywood: Clooney, Tarantino, and the Shifting Definition of Movie Stardom
In a recent exchange between George Clooney and Quentin Tarantino, the dialogue surrounding what it means to be a “movie star” has taken center stage. Clooney expressed irritation over Tarantino’s comments questioning his star status, which has reignited discussions regarding celebrity in the modern film landscape. As franchises and superhero movies dominate box offices, the definition of a movie star is evolving.
Tarantino’s remarks about actors portraying iconic characters like Captain America or Thor highlight a significant trend: the focus is shifting from individual actors to the franchises themselves. This raises questions about the sustainability of traditional stardom in an age where recognizable characters outweigh the stars who play them.
As streaming platforms gain traction, the industry may witness a further blurring of lines between actor and character. With a steady influx of projects centered around franchises, the long-standing notion of a movie star could be supplanted by ensemble casts where the collective brand is more important than individual names. Actors like Clooney and Pitt, who maintain a strong identity beyond their film roles, may find it increasingly challenging to differentiate themselves in this evolving landscape.
Moreover, the conversation between Clooney and Pitt touches on the importance of privacy for actors in an age where celebrity culture often invites intrusive scrutiny. As they navigate fame while trying to preserve their personal lives, the concept of star power itself may pivot towards those who manage to maintain a sense of authenticity amidst the chaos of Hollywood.
As the landscape of cinema continues to change, we may see a rise in filmmakers advocating for strong narratives over star power, as Clooney highlighted in his reflections on the importance of good scripts. This trend could lead to a new wave of storytelling where story and character depths take precedence, challenging the status quo of what it means to be a star in Hollywood.