GQ wide ranging interview with George at White Helmets screening 9.1.17

GEORGE CLOONEY TALKS TO GQ ABOUT OBAMA, SUITS AND SYRIA
The actor, director and founder of the Clooney Foundation for Justice on his personal highlight of Obama's presidency, what he wears when he wants to feel confident and the one Netflix film you should watch tonight

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Photography by Dave Benett

BECKY LUCAS
Tuesday 10 January 2017

In London to put his artistic and Google-ranking clout behind the superb and stunning Netflix documentary The White Helmets, George Clooney stopped to chat to GQ.
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George Clooney on Obama

Two days after attending Barack Obama’s farewell celebration at The White House, Clooney shared his most touching memory of his time in office. “The idea that the President of the United States can show up in South Carolina after nine people in a church had been shot and sing ‘Amazing Grace’, the way he sang ‘Amazing Grace’, was one of the most moving things I've ever seen in my life. I couldn't imagine any other president in the world, in our history, doing that.” In a sideways swipe at President-elect Donald Trump and certain recent tweets, he continued. “He moved us, and those family members, by not retaliating and keeping the city calm. It was such a moving moment that I'll always remember that.”

[size=34]"Obama moved us, and those family members, by not retaliating"[/size]

George Clooney on shoes

“Well, I always wear shoes now,” Clooney stated po-faced, when asked what he turns to, style-wise, whenever he needs to feel particularly confident. “I find if you go out without shoes, it’s just not pleasant. Especially in London when it’s raining.” More seriously, he continued, “Generally, I like a suit. You can’t go wrong with a suit.”



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Photography by Dave Benett

George Clooney on Syria

“The important thing is to get yourself informed: there are lots of ways to do that nowadays,” he said, when asked how GQ readers can make any difference in the lives of Syrians, such as those featured in The White Helmets. “Whatever that is: if it's watching a documentary, if it's looking it up, if it's understanding that what's going on involves real human beings, that they're not other people or numbers. Once you see that and understand that – you’ll find you treat everybody differently. I think that's important. Anything you can do to [reach that feeling] is helpful. It's going to take a lot of humanity to fix this inhumanity.”

George Clooney on the Netflix documentary you must watch tonight

The reason Clooney was in London was to present The White Helmets, a Netflix documentary directed by previously Oscar-nominated British filmmaker Orlando von Einsiedel, featuring footage shot inside Syria last year. The film follows a group of young volunteers as they arrive first on the scene after air strikes to rescue victims, with shocking scenes showing numerous young children and even a week-old baby being pulled from the rubble.

“If you look on the internet, you think that the world is filled with hate,” Clooney said as he introduced the film. “It all just seems terrible. And the reality is, the vast majority of human beings are kind and good. They want what’s best for themselves and their children and their family, but they also want what’s best for their neighbours, and for people that know them. What is extraordinary is these people put on these white helmets and run toward violence while everyone else is running away from it. Where there is no other structure or society, they are there to protect. And they risk their lives to do it. First and foremost they are heroes."


George Clooney on his upcoming film adaptation of The White Helmets
“The reality is, films are very different to docs. We have to find someone to write it, there's got to be a story. We're working on that now. We just got the rights a couple of weeks ago, give me a chance!”

Ooh, Melbert will be happy: all seven of his chesthairs are on display in that picture!