8 Things You Didn’t Know About George Clooney

➡ George Clooney Biography

You’ve heard of George Clooney. The actor/director is one of today’s biggest, most well-known, and most revered A-list stars. While he may not be as well-known as he once was, Clooney is undeniably a major league talent with dashing good looks and a wealth of charisma to boot. If you admire George Clooney as an actor, writer, director, or all of the above, here are some cool or interesting facts about him.

8 Things You Didn’t Know About George Clooney

1. A Distant Relative Of Abraham Lincoln

According to People magazine, the actor/director of The Ides of March shares an ancestor with a famous American president: Abraham Lincoln. They both have deep Kentucky roots, and they’re ultimately linked through Lucy Hanks, Lincoln’s maternal grandmother. ^[1]

2. Wanted To Play Baseball Initially

Clooney originally wanted to be a journalist, like his father, and a professional baseball player, which he did try out for in the big leagues. He tried out for the Cincinnati Reds but did not make the team. His professional baseball career did not go as planned. ^[2]

3. First Actor To Be Nominated In Six Separate Oscar Categories

George Clooney, a two-time Oscar winner, has had his fair share of success at the Academy Awards. But, in addition to these honors, Clooney received another Oscar nomination. Clooney is clearly one of the most respected professionals in the business today. ^[3]

4. Co-Founded A Tequilla Brand

Clooney’s most recent fortune came from the sale of a tequila brand he co-founded for a whopping $1 billion. That is a lot of money. To make matters even more surprising, the actor-director reportedly only invested $600,000 in the new venture, yet he walked away with $239 million for this year’s end round-up.

5. Worked In Tobacco Field

Clooney worked in tobacco fields as a child and smoked until he was in his late twenties. He resigned after one of his uncles died of lung cancer and has expressed regret in interviews.

6. Had Severe Paralysis In His Face

Clooney was in his first year of high school when he developed Bell’s Palsy, a medical condition that caused half of his face to become paralyzed. Fortunately, the condition resolved itself after 9 months.

7. Regrets His Biggest Role

Despite the fact that it was one of the most important roles of his career, Clooney has admitted that he “so terribly destroyed” the role of Batman and that he can’t bring himself to watch 1997’s “Batman & Robin”.

8. Arrested In Civil Disobedience

Clooney was arrested for civil disobedience outside the “Sudanese Embassy” in 2012, despite the fact that he was expecting the arrest and had even planned the protest in the first place.