George Clooney wants to retire from acting because of his age. What do you think about that?

George said in an interview that he thinks his time has come to retire from acting because of his age and because he prefers to direct.
I believe, if not because of health issues, you are never to old for acting.
In which role would you like to see him acting before he decides to retire.
Do you think he would be able to act the part of a life disappointed drunkard who beats his wife?
Almost every role of him has a helping message in it I would like to see how he acts in the role of a real bad person. Please don't kill me for wanting that, I would just like to know if he would be able.

Boston strangler

He has been saying that for awhile. I think he does want to direct more and maybe not be in everything he does direct.

I really hope he doesn't retire from acting soon, i love seeing him in films and love his films but i do understand what he is saying. As long as we still get to see him then ok with me

well
ok with me

Just on a pragmatic note, I think the problem would be whether he would get any film he wanted to make or direct 'green-lit' without him acting in it. I.e. would the studios back him financially without him appearing?

maybe no

He could always "do a Hitchcock" and then the audience would be left in suspense waiting for him to appear.

I think you are correct, party animal. I saw an interview with George and he mentioned, "It would be nice if I didn't have to appear in every movie..." I think studios still consider him a big draw for making a movie rake in the big bucks with his presence in it.

nice idea Jo
but it won't be enough to audience   
IMO

Whether audiences will go see a film he only directs, I think, depends on the film and who else is in it. I would see anything his name is attached to, but I'm sure lots of his fans would only want to see something he's in.

Rachel - If you want to see something where George isn't such a nice guy, watch "From Dusk to Dawn". It's very violent, but, if you have a twisted sense of humor (like I apparently do) the movie is a hoot and Quentin Tarantino is just plain sick! It's one of my all-time faves.

I agree with you Lizzy. I would go see anything he puts his name on. The reason being that we know of his talent and how pushes himself to work harder and to reach out and help other people. For me, even without the pretty face, GC is a star.

we all know

Well, we all know that the companies ( some of which are private equity companies) and studio bosses by and large are just concerned with the bottom line

And their bottom line is that George Clooney's name above the title guarantees bums on seats!!

No that is impossible. He is king actor in Hollywood. I didn't want to read so news. He is fifty-two years old only. This is very early for to retire.He should continue acting at movies. I know he is tired but.... :(I don't want to believe this.

many years ago he already said so

dunno if what happened lately
his success I mean
made him to change idea

LizzyNY wrote:Whether audiences will go see a film he only directs, I think, depends on the film and who else is in it. I would see anything his name is attached to, but I'm sure lots of his fans would only want to see something he's in.

Rachel - If you want to see something where George isn't such a nice guy, watch "From Dusk to Dawn". It's very violent, but, if you have a twisted sense of humor (like I apparently do) the movie is a hoot and Quentin Tarantino is just plain sick! It's one of my all-time faves.

I have watched it - yes the movie has violence in it but its a satirical violence like in all Tarantino movies. And still, there is the helping message in Georges role. He is trying to help his brother who his definitely mentally disturbed. He is the one helping the priest and his kid's etc. The only movie were there was not that helping character in the background is Ides of March
There was a reason he go the Oscar for Syriana - it was, although somehow a helping character a role he really had to be different and change a lot. The Storm was challenging too.
I have studied all his movies and his way of acting, his face expressions, his movements and compared it with the way you see him giving interviews or on the red carpet. Its always him, its like he is not acting or he is always acting.

So that's why I want to see him in a role that's not him. A role where he is not trying to help, to save the world etc. a role, where he is just a bad person.
I just want to see if he is able too be a character actor like for example Paul Newman, Ben Kingsley, Anthony Hopkins, Liam Neeson, Harrison Ford or one of my favorite Klaus Kinski.
I could name a lot, they all act in very different and very challenging roles - they are able to change complete.

maybe he can 't

He's been saying this for a long time and I'm sure he toys with the idea every so often.

I can't honestly see him ever really and truly retiring from acting. Or maybe that's just my wishful thinking?!

Rachel - I think It's Me is right - maybe he can't. Not because he doesn't have the ability (although he has often said he "knows his limitations" as an actor) but because his image dictates, to a large extent, the kinds of roles he is offered or that the studios will finance. In the films he is producing and acting in I think he is moving to a less central role, although not quite character actor status.

Katie - I agree that he's mentioned retiring off and on for quite a while. Recently, though, he's been talking a lot about how much more he enjoys directing and writing. IMO that's where he sees his future going, depending, I think, on the acting roles he's offered and his ability to get funding for the films he wants to make. I know he said somewhere that nobody wants to see a sixty-something leading man with a twenty-something love interest (or something along those lines). I think he's finally growing up.  

LizzyNY wrote: I know he said somewhere that nobody wants to see a sixty-something leading man with a twenty-something love interest (or something along those lines). I think he's finally growing up.  

That's not acting, that's his real life... hahahaha

Mel - Sometimes I think that, to him, there's not much difference . He's always acting - on and off the screen - at least in public.

WTFFF

Agree to a point Lizzy

I think he will slow it down, some bit parts here and there as he gets older, as long as he puts out (ha) one movie a year starring him, Im happy

Theminis - Me, too. I love watching him on screen, but I get the feeling it's not what he wants to do so much anymore.

He keeps talking about being old- which really bothers me, since he's only 53, which really isn't old at all - and makes me wonder if there are health issues affecting his decisions. The recurrent strain of malaria worries me especially, since my dad died of a malaria-related heart attack. I really hope it's just that he's having more fun directing than he is acting.

I'm sorry to hear that about your dad, Lizzy.

I think in Hollywood terms, 53 is considered close to geriatric! It's a young person's game - even more so if you're female when you're pretty much over the hill a 35.

Men have longer lifespans on screen, but he is pushing it.

I wish though that he wouldn't buckle down to those ridiculous parameters and instead challenge them! Agreed that no one wants to see a 60-year old with a 20 year old love interest, but they would go to see him with a same-age love interest.

This whole idea that older people don't go to the cinema is self-perpetuating. No, older people aren't going to waste their time watching teenage crap like Transformers movies, but put someone in the cinema that they would like, then they'll go.

George Clooney is just the man to make that happen.

Thanks ,Katie, for the kind words. It was a long time ago, but since malaria is so rare in the "developed" countries I think we don't realize how serious it can be.

I agree that Hollywood has a warped vision of age (and looks), but I don't think George is pushing it quite yet - not with his looks! I personally would go to see him if his love interest was a mushroom, but then again, I'm nuts so I guess it doesn't count.

Maybe if he continues to make movies for adults the way he has been the last few years (and if they continue to be successful) the industry honchos will realize that kids have to go to mommy and daddy for money but the old farts are the ones with the money to spend.

I'd like to see him in a meaty courtroom drama....
as the mean prosecutor.

Or a song and dance old style musical !  Lol

Or a role like Sinatra's Tony Rome. Now that was sexy !

Joanna wrote:I'd like to see him in a meaty courtroom drama....
as the mean prosecutor.

Or a song and dance old style musical !  Lol

Or a role like Sinatra's Tony Rome. Now that was sexy !

These are all roles I would agree wirh.
Let me just say that I hope he doesn't retire from acting for my own personal reasons. These times in between seeing him and getting news about him, is rough. He would not be very visual at all.

However I wish "MM" would have been a smashing hit as far as his writing and directing. He has said that he is not a character actor like say someone on the order of Daniel Day Lewis, he does his acting job for the day then he goes home. DDL really gets into the character.

I have a feeling that there just might be more to it than age, let's face it he won't be 53 until May 6th. He still gets violent headaches and the back problems. This is an age when you start getting a lot of these things, he got a real head start because of Syriana and one of the motorcycle accidents where he also hurt his back.

He's coming off of doing two physically stressful acting jobs with "Gravity" and "Tommowland." Which we are not even sure if he is finished with the latter. It is difficult for him as he said one time for now he needs to get in front of the camera also. I would hate it if he does retire from acting however, if he needs to because of all his many health problems I would want to see him do what is best for himself in this. I know pain and not and not being able to take strong pain killers "drastically alters my personality," is what we call it. George doesn't take them also because of the addition factor that runs in his family. Being an addict is not hereditary but having the tendency to become additive to things is.

Also he might feel that when he stops acting maybe he can have a better personal life. Maybe after awhile he will be able to go out in public a bit more and the press won't be on his back for every little f**t he takes.

I feel like we see him pushing back bit by bit; like putting Matt in the commercial with him, so maybe he will get the job when George gives it up. So many little things hit me that they are part of an overall plan of his. God Bless him I think we all wants what is best for him. xxx

Yo creo que ya està retirado, no hay nada nuevo de el en la internet casi no da entrevistas ni fotos de paparazzi, no piensa ir a los oscares este año segùn se. Ni sabemos con que chica sale. George se ha ido

I'm sure if he says he wants to retire, he will do that and he is saying it more often. He wants to be the painter and not the paint.
For his personal life its sure enriching. He will have a lot more privacy and hopefully be more in Italy. The place he enjoys life most.
Healthy climate, healthy food, heartily people around you, wonderful Swiss Alps around the corner to go for a bike ride.
The right place to be relaxed and write wonderful scripts.
There he might be able to start living a normal life by stroling through the area, the restaurants. Would love to see him at the market buying some cheese    Olives etc. after that a fresh granita and brioche with an espresso at the bar.
People will get used to it and paps will get bored.
What about his fans. Will they also get bored and stop following him?
I'm not a fan of Spielberg and I don't follow him but I watch all his films, the same with Tarantino.
So what affect do you think will it have if he stops acting and being less on the red carpets.

nice pic Rachel

Rachel - If the films he makes are good - whether he's on screen or behind the scenes - he'll still be a force in the industry. Hopefully, he'll be getting awards for the work he does off-screen (writing, producing, directing). Then we'll still get to see him on the red carpet, if not so much in the media.
It might be just the right balance for him.

P.S. Don't hold your breath for him to move full time to Italy. His friends and family are here in the States, as is the industry he is so much a part of. LA is his home.

...

It will be very sad not to see him again on the silver screen, but if for your health we would have to understand. Particularly I am very worried about his health, I also saw an interview where he says he feels severe back pain and sometimes drink to ease the pain because pain killers make you very ill.
Malaria can actually weaken the heart and he had already twice

I think we're getting ahead of ourselves here. Yes, I think he's cutting back on the acting, but I don't think he's giving up on it just yet. He still enjoys it, just not as much as he does the other aspects of film making.

Is his health an issue? Probably, but he has access to the best health care and I doubt he'd do anything that would seriously endanger his health.

I don't think he's going to disappear anytime soon. He enjoys his life too much to live like a hermit, and as long as he appears in public the paps are going to snap away.

it's me wrote:nice pic Rachel

  Thank's

Rachel wrote:I'm sure if he says he wants to retire, he will do that and he is saying it more often. He wants to be the painter and not the paint.
For his personal life its sure enriching. He will have a lot more privacy and hopefully be more in Italy. The place he enjoys life most.
Healthy climate, healthy food, heartily people around you, wonderful Swiss Alps around the corner to go for a bike ride.
The right place to be relaxed and write wonderful scripts.
There he might be able to start living a normal life by stroling through the area, the restaurants. Would love to see him at the market buying some cheese    Olives etc. after that a fresh granita and brioche with an espresso at the bar.
People will get used to it and paps will get bored.
What about his fans. Will they also get bored and stop following him?
I'm not a fan of Spielberg and I don't follow him but I watch all his films, the same with Tarantino.
So what affect do you think will it have if he stops acting and being less on the red carpets.

Sounds like a lovely scenario, but I think he is too much of a workaholic to kick back that much.

I think it will have less of an effect on his popularity than something he has no control over--getting older. Althought critics love smart movies made for the middle aged, I'm think the perception is that is not where the big money pay offs are. In 10 years my daughters may look at him on awards shows as I used to look at the older Gregory Peck and think "he's old!" Though I know from his films that Gregory Peck in his prime was one of the best looking men ever!

Fava - re your comment on Gregory Peck - definitely absolutely a gem of a man

Fava - You're dead on about Gregory Peck. I met him once at a political fundraiser and he was absolutely gorgeous - and he wasn't even that young at the time!

What do I think about it???

I don´t like it! I want to stop the big clock turning.
Awful, just awful, how time goes by so quickly.

This is going to sound really selfish and it is - can´t help it, but I want to go to the movies and recognize the star. If he retires, it remainds me that I´m getting old too     

Well...Believe it or not...I have never seen him act!

So I guess I have a lot to look forward too.

Also I agree on acting...there is no age limit!