George Clooney Earned $3 For This Passion Project That Earned 6 Oscar Nominations

George Clooney is an award-winning actor and has over 90 acting credits. His latest project was The Midnight Sky, which might be one of his less memorable works. In 2006, Clooney partnered with Nespresso. He starred in a few video shorts and earned over $40 million. 

Nowadays, Clooney’s star power allows him to take home large checks. However, he has been willing to accept small payments in the past. For one film, he had a salary of less than $5. Fortunately, the movie achieved critical acclaim. 

George Clooney began acting in the ’80s

Clooney is a 59-year-old actor who was born in Kentucky. He came from a family of entertainment personalities and decided to pursue a career in acting. He moved to LA to look for gigs, and he slowly started finding work. The actor landed a recurring part in the show The Facts of Life in 1985. 

Plenty of Clooney’s early roles may not have been what he dreamed of, and he repeatedly lost out on other opportunities. For the most part, the star was doing well in the television industry. In 1994, Clooney’s big break came when he starred as Doctor Doug Ross in the hit show ER. 

Clooney earned millions from the series and left in 1999. At first, he struggled to find work in film. He failed auditions for movies like Thelma and Louise and Guarding Tess. After ER, the actor managed to star in commercially successful films like The Perfect Storm. 

In his personal life, Clooney is married to a human rights lawyer, Amal Clooney. The couple had met through a mutual friend. They have two children, who are twins. 

George Clooney had a $3 salary for ‘Good Night, and Good Luck’

Good Night, and Good Luck is a historical drama from 2005. It stars Clooney, Patricia Clarkson, and Robert Downey Jr. The film takes place in the ’50s, and it focuses on broadcast journalism and McCarthyism. The central conflict is between journalist Edward Murrow and Senator John McCarthy. 

Not only did Clooney act in the movie, but he wrote and directed it as well. It was his passion project, and he got paid very little at the start. According to Insider, Clooney earned $3 upfront. That is one dollar for writing, directing, and acting. 

Clooney was invested in making Good Night, and Good Luck. The film had a low budget, and the star mortgaged his home to help fund the project. The reason why he took such little pay upfront is that he wanted to raise concerns over politicians using fear to stifle political debate. Not to mention, some people saw the film as revenge against the celebrity blacklist era on the ’40s. 

Critics praised ‘Good Night, and Good Luck’

After its release, Good Night, and Good Luck became successful. Critics praised the film for its themes and ensemble cast. Since the movie was well-received, the movie earned over seven times its budget of $7 million in the box office. 

Some people felt the story resonated with what was happening at the time of its release. While there may have been some criticisms, fans still see Good Night, and Good Luck in a positive light. It would seem Clooney’s decision to accept a small pay and mortgage his home had paid off. 

In 2006, the movie earned six Academy Award nominations for categories like Best Picture and Best Cinematography. The film got nominated for a few Golden Globes as well. Among the numerous nominations, Good Night, and Good Luck won a few of them. It earned an Independent Spirit Award and Satellite Awards.