Profile: GEORGE CLOONEY PUTS HIS ‘LEATHERHEADS’ TOGETHER

The third times charming, as the Academy Award winning actor also directs this new romantic football comedy

By PAMELA HARLAND, Managing Editor
Published 4/7/2008

George Clooney continues to grow as one of Hollywood’s leading contenders with his talent insuperable. Acting, directing, writing and producing, Clooney sets his own standards and then exceeds them by leaps and bounds. And yet he never takes himself too seriously, a wise trait that keeps him working and thriving through the trenches of the most perilous profession. In fact, he downplays everything. His tongue in cheek humor lets you know, “I am aware of how silly this business is…wink, wink.” His answers are always wry with wit and less about getting to the truth of the matter than they are about getting a laugh or two. He is a consummate entertainer. But he never compromises that world-renowned sense of humor for quality. In between the laughs he is a hard worker who strives to get things just right for his craft, compromising nothing.

With LEATHERHEADS (which netted $13.5 million at the boxoffice this weekend), Clooney stars in and directs. The film, set in 1925, needed to be shot a certain way so it didn’t look like a bunch of adults playing dress up and Clooney knew what he needed to get the right look.