{
  "id": 5240082,
  "title": "From Hollywood late bloomer to global star: George Clooney gets Venice lifetime achievement award at 65",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/03/from-hollywood-late-bloomer-to-global-star-george-clooney-gets-venice",
  "topic": "culture",
  "section": "Culture",
  "published": "2026-09-03T03:39:48.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Malay Mail",
    "slug": "malay-mail-malaymail",
    "url": "https://www.malaymail.com/news/showbiz/2026/09/03/from-hollywood-late-bloomer-to-global-star-george-clooney-gets-venice-lifetime-achievement-award-at-65/233732"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Venice, September 3 — George Clooney, a Hollywood late bloomer turned global star, has been honored with a lifetime achievement award at the age of 65. The megastar is part of a select group of Hollywood actors like Leonardo DiCaprio, Brad Pitt, and Tom Cruise who have achieved global fame. Known for his dark good looks, natural charm, and on-screen charisma, Clooney has been frequently compared to the legendary Cary Grant. Tony Gilroy, who directed him in the 2007 thriller Michael Clayton, once said, \"I think he’s better at the job of being a movie star than anybody who has ever done it.\" Alberto Barbera, artistic director of the Venice Film Festival, emphasized that Clooney is a tremendous actor who is capable of taking a stand on social and political issues, sometimes in radical and courageous ways.\n\nClooney, son of a local TV host in Kentucky, made his Hollywood debut in 1984. He spent ten years working bit-parts and was even involved in 15 pilots that never aired. It wasn't until 1994 that his career and fame took off with his role as dashing doctor Doug Ross in the NBC medical series ER, which ran for 15 years. Despite his success, Clooney admitted that his career, like many others in Hollywood, is largely driven by luck. His first major role came in 1997's Batman & Robin, which was widely panned as a disaster. However, his performance in Steven Soderbergh's 2000 thriller Out of Sight marked a turning point in his career. The 2000s saw a hot streak for the American actor, with hit films like the Coen brothers' comedy O Brother, Where Art Thou? (2000) and the Ocean's trilogy, which allowed him to share top billing with Brad Pitt, Matt Damon, and Julia Roberts. Clooney's 2005 spy thriller Syriana earned him an Oscar for Best Supporting Actor.\n\nIn the years that followed, Clooney continued to deliver critically acclaimed and commercially successful films. He co-produced the Best Picture Oscar winner Argo (2012) and shared top billing in the critically acclaimed and commercially successful Gravity (2013). In addition to his successful film career, Clooney has been actively involved in politics and humanitarian work since the 2000s. He has been involved in campaigns and interventions addressing issues such as Darfur, Sudan, and has founded the Clooney Foundation for Justice with his wife, human rights lawyer Amal Alamuddin. Clooney's success in Hollywood and his activism has made him a prominent figure in Democratic politics in the United States.",
  "summary": "VENICE, Sept 3 — George Clooney was a late bloomer in Hollywood who now frequently uses his platform as an industr...",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}