Although Mr. George Clooney is now part of Hollywood elite, it's important to remember he got his start on TV — from The Facts of Life (never forget) all the way to ER. He's going to be honored with the Cecil B. DeMille Award at the 2015 Golden Globes on Jan. 11, so how many movies has George Clooney been in? The Hollywood Foreign Press Association (HFPA) gives the award to "an individual of demonstrated outstanding achievement in film and television entertainment." And Clooney more than fits that bill. (I mean, he earned it for The Facts of Life alone! Seriously. That show rocked.) Clooney's movie résumé is particularly impressive though and he has been nominated for 13 Golden Globes.
The HFPA president, Theo Kingma, told Variety, "It didn’t take us long to pick him. He is someone who’s made big contributions to both film and TV, and who is beloved by the industry." As for exactly how many movies he has been in, there are different reports. Statistic Brain states that as of July 12, 2014, Clooney had acted in 68 films. My own investigation (using both IMDb and Rotten Tomatoes, which are not definitive sources) got me a number between 40 and 44 movies (not including TV movies).
As extensive as his list of movies is, let's be real — they haven't all been award-worthy (I'm looking at you, Batman & Robin). Even his latest foray into directing and writing with The Monuments Men wasn't well received — all-star cast and all. But in honor of him receiving the Cecil B. DeMille Award, let's look at the movies that earned Clooney this accolade.
O Brother, Where Art Thou?
Clooney won his first Golden Globe award for Best Performance by an Actor in a Motion Picture — Comedy or Musical in 2001 for this film based on Homer's The Odyssey. He is said to have accepted the role before reading the script (and accepted a much smaller salary than usual) because of his interest in working with the Coen brothers.
Ocean's Eleven
Although not the most artistic of all his films, Clooney led a group of Hollywood elite in this sleek and fun film that pretty much is the definition of "entertainment." His chemistry with Brad Pitt and Matt Damon (so many of People 's Sexiest Men) was almost too much to handle — and Clooney showed off his amazing comedic timing along the way.
Good Night, and Good Luck.
Clooney had a busy 2005. He directed, starred in, and cowrote Good Night, and Good Luck. (It was the second movie he had directed — the first being 2002's Confessions of a Dangerous Mind.) He was nominated for Academy Awards in Directing and Writing (Original Screenplay) in 2006.
Syriana
But that wasn't the end to Clooney's fantastic run. He also starred in the thriller Syriana as a CIA operative. His turn as Bob Barnes earned Clooney the Golden Globe and Oscar for Best Supporting Actor — the same year as his nominations for Good Night, and Good Luck. It was good to be Clooney in 2006. (Isn't it probably always good to be Clooney though?)
Michael Clayton
Clooney went dark again as the titular Michael Clayton in the 2007 film. He was nominated for Best Actor in a Leading Role (both for the Oscars and Golden Globes), but lost to Daniel Day-Lewis for There Will Be Blood both times. (It's OK, Clooney. Every great actor has to lose to Day-Lewis at least once in his career.)
Up in the Air
Clooney bonded with Vera Farmiga and Anna Kendrick (in one of her first starring roles) in the Jason Reitman film Up in the Air. He earned rave reviews and gained both a Globe and Oscar nom in the process.
Fantastic Mr. Fox
Only Clooney could make a puppet fox sexy (he is a silver fox). Clooney's voice work truly gave Mr. Fox all of the charisma and spunk that the actor has displayed over the years in this quirky and adorable film. (It was directed by Wes Anderson, so its quirkiness goes without saying).
The Descendants
My personal favorite in all of Clooney's dramatic turns, The Descendants required him to show complete vulnerability and he won the Globe for Best Actor for it. I even believed he was just an average family man (with blood ties to Hawaiian royalty). Like Up in the Air, he starred with another young, up-and-coming actress — Shailene Woodley. If you haven't seen this movie — in the name of all that is Clooney — get on it.
Gravity
Clooney was the only other person to spin in space with Sandra Bullock in 2013's visually-stunning Gravity. Although he wasn't nominated for a Globe or Oscar for his turn as an astronaut, the film was loved by the awards shows (and a huge box office success) — proving that Clooney still knows how to pick 'em.
So congrats, George Clooney, on your well-deserved award. I know you'll keep entertaining us for years to come. I can't imagine Hollywood without you.
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