One Film That Got George Clooney Only a $3 Paycheck

Summary:

• George Clooney is an American actor who gained widespread recognition for his role as Dr. Doug Ross on the medical drama ER.
• Clooney directed, co-wrote and starred in 2005's Good Night, and Good Luck, taking home $3 of his salary.
• The film was a huge success and received 6 Academy Award nominations.

How often do you believe someone who says they work for passion, not money? The more the person earns, the harder it is to accept. This goes all the way up to the A-list Hollywood celebrities who claim to choose the movies they star in with their hearts, but end up collecting multi-million dollar checks.

One person, however, really cannot be accused of portraying a false image of himself. George Clooney, who got his start as the charismatic Dr. Doug Ross on the popular medical drama ER and then quickly made it to the big screen, knows exactly what it's like to walk off the set with nothing but satisfaction.

Over the years, Clooney's filmography has included many great titles. However, one stands out from the rest in the most unexpected way.

Good Night, and Good Luck Box Office

While it's hard to imagine a producer who wouldn't want George Clooney to star in a movie with the highest possible paycheck, there was one person who decided to cut him off.

It was George Clooney himself. While working on his 2005 drama Good Night, and Good Luck, the actor had much more important expenses to cover.

Not only was he unable to get insurance for himself, but he also had to mortgage his own home in Los Angeles to make the movie. Clooney, who was awarded $1 each for acting, directing and writing, was still very pleased with what he was able to accomplish.

He shared his feelings about the movie with the Los Angeles Times:

“Good Night, and Good Luck” is “ultimately a love letter to my old man. It’s me saying, ‘Thanks for setting the bar that high, for believing so strongly in the responsibility of information,’ and taking it to the level where it cost him a lot of things over the years. There were jobs he left because he wasn’t willing to compromise,” the actor explained.

Since it's clear that the movie was not just a commercial, but a passion project for Clooney, the decision to take a non-existent paycheck, but the satisfaction of having the final say on how it should be done, is more than understandable. Besides, his passion and determination to make the movie the best it can be definitely paid off.

Good Night, and Good Luck was nominated for six Academy Awards, including such prestigious nominations as Best Picture, Best Director and Best Actor for David Strathairn.

Not only was it critically acclaimed, but it also became a commercial success. With a budget of only $7 million, the film grossed $54 million worldwide.

Source: Los Angeles Times