George Clooney's Net Worth is Eleven Ocean's Deep
George Clooney is one of those people who probably doesn't need much introduction. He is one of the most famous actors of the last 40 years and is consistently one of the most respected and sought-after professionals in the business. Clooney's natural good looks, charming personality, and surprisingly diverse acting skills have made him a top pull ever since his years in the television series “ER.”
However, Clooney's career started long before that 1994 hit and has earned the actor a staggering amount of wealth. George Clooney's net worth is one of the highest in Hollywood, partially due to his consistently excellent filmography as an actor and director, but also due to a handful of intelligent business decisions. Clooney certainly didn't need to perform any Ocean's Eleven heists to pad his bank accounts!
George Clooney's Net Worth In Simple Terms
Let's just break down Clooney's net worth in the simplest possible way to give readers an understanding of just how much this actor is worth on the market today.
Clooney Continually Makes a High Income For Films
These days, George Clooney makes around $70 million every year, much of it due to his film roles. His high-drawing name and consistent profitability earn him around $20 million per role. Clooney has also made many intelligent business investments that expanded his earnings: if his net worth was based only on his acting, it would be much lower.
In spite of this high-earning nature, Clooney remains one of the most approachable and humble actors in Hollywood. Like fellow high-earner Tom Hanks, Clooney struggled in his early career, often wanted to give up, and felt consistently humbled by his slow success. But, like with Hanks, this early struggle has kept Clooney humble and appreciative of his luck within this field.
Clooney's Success Came Slowly
Few people realize that George Clooney's career did not start with “ER” in 1994. In fact, his first role was “Centennial,” a little-remembered series in which Clooney had a minor role in 1978. Clooney's 80s and early 90s filmography is rather bizarre and often times relatively poor. For example, he starred in such anti-classics as horror movie parody “Return to Horror High” (1987), the never-completed “Grizzly II: The Predator (1987), a “Police Academy” wannabe “Combat Academy” (1986), and the infamous “Return of the Killer Tomatoes” (1988).
George's Talent Was Obvious Even Then
George Clooney in “Return Of The Killer Tomatoes”
Image Source: Reddit
These sub-B-list movies are very forgettable but for Clooney's obvious talent in front of the camera. In fact, watching “Return of the Killer Tomatoes” is often surprisingly entertaining, in spite of the movie's dubious quality. The film constantly makes fun of itself, and Clooney (long known as one of the funniest men in Hollywood) chews the scenery with obvious delight and brings a little life to what would otherwise be a little-remembered turkey.
Television Helped Keep Clooney Afloat
Most of Clooney's early success came in television roles. For example, he earned a starring role in the soap opera “ER” (what a strange world we live in) in 1984. Clooney also had minor parts in series as diverse as “The Facts of Life,” “Baby Talk,” “Roseanne,” and “The Golden Girls.” Though still not a big name, he started getting roles in slightly better films like “The Magic Bubble” (1990) before “ER” hit it big.
How ER Changed Everything
When “ER” debuted in 1994, it was a surprise hit that elevated the careers of many of its leads. The show was driven by intelligent writing, a clever wit, relatable drama, and great acting. Interestingly enough, Clooney's role was initially much smaller, as Anthony Edwards was the show's biggest star at the time. Clooney made around $100,000 per episode at the time, a heavy increase from his previous gigs.
George Broke Out in Unexpected Ways
However, Clooney's staggering good looks, simple charisma, and raw acting ability quickly caught the attention of America. As a result, his role became more prominent in the show, and, over time, his star overshadowed the rest of the cast. In addition, roles in films like “From Dusk Til Dawn” (another surprise hit) helped give him the finances to fund a production company and creative agency.
Production And Creative Agency Success
In 2001, George Clooney helped bankroll “Section Eight Productions,” as a production company that has had some success within Hollywood. Its debut film, “Confessions of a Dangerous Mind,” was a minor hit and drew acclaim from many parts of Hollywood. Later, Clooney chaired a creative agency and helped find top talent throughout Hollywood to focus their career.
Such moves have earned him a consistent income and a higher net worth, though it is unclear just how much money these moves have made him over the years. Like other high-earning actors, though, Clooney has continually expanded his earnings by moving beyond acting and boosted his net worth by focusing on consistently well-chosen and intelligent business decisions.
Earning Milestones In His Career
Before “ER” debuted in 1994, George Clooney had already earned a surprisingly over overall net worth, in spite of his lack of a breakout role. Reports indicate he was worth $500 thousand in 1993, primarily due to his hard-working nature and his careful financial abilities. Clooney was continually saving his money and cutting back on unnecessary expenses whenever necessary, helping him save nearly a million before “ER” debuted.
ER Fueled a Big Earnings Jump for Clooney
By 1995, with the success of “ER” cemented in the American consciousness, Clooney was worth about $3 million. That's a tremendous increase in net worth of nearly 1,000 percent. However, the next five years saw Clooney add just $7 million to his net worth by 2000. While he was continually starring in many successful films, he was not yet making the $20 million per film he makes these days.
New Business Ventures Fueled Further Success
From 2000 to 2005, though, Clooney's net worth jumped from $10 million to $50 million. That heavy increase came after founding his production company, as he could now share in the profits of his film's success. Another $20 million jump occurred between 2005 and 2007, and as his success increased, he eventually doubled his worth from 2012 ($100 million) to 2015 ($200 million).
George's Income Increased Due To His Liquor Business
Clearly, Clooney's continued film and business successes pushed him into unreal levels of worth during this time. But how did Clooney, in the seven years between 2015 to 2022, add $350 million to his net worth? That jump is the biggest his career has seen yet. Ironically, Clooney's network skyrocketed into the top Hollywood tier in a realm far outside that of his acting career.
The Story of Casamigos
The tale of Clooney's tequila brand, Casamigos, may deserve a separate article or even a movie because it's a story that seems too good to be true. Clooney and a few of his friends loved drinking tequila when they got together but hated getting hangovers. So, as a result, they created a drink that they could enjoy all day without getting hangovers, debuting their Casamigos brand in 2013.
From a Gag to an Award-Winning Brand
What started as something of a joke between tequila-loving friends quickly spiraled into a high-earning business. Casamigos took off in ways that the group hadn't anticipated. Part of this success was due to Clooney's name recognition and partially to the tequila itself. Acclaimed for its smooth taste, Casamigos is an affordable and popular tequila brand that caught the attention of many investors.
The Sale That Earned George Over Half of His Net Worth
As a result, Diageo bought this company for $1 billion in June of 2017, a purchase that made George the highest-earning actor of 2018 in spite of not being in a film that year! Clooney maintains connections and ties with the brand and could still make money from its sale and from its future success. Don't be surprised if his net worth only increases in the coming years.
Clooney Is a Giving Soul
Over the years, Clooney has helped use some of his clout and influence to raise money for a variety of different political causes and fundraising projects. For example, he was very active during the conflicts in Darfur and Sudan and not only donated money to help displaced people during this time but held fundraisers that provided further comfort and assistance to those who needed it.
Clooney Helped After the Haitian Earthquake
After the devastating 2010 Haitian earthquake, he held more fundraisers and used his pull in Hollywood to raise millions of dollars to help rebuild the nation. This recovery effort helped keep people in Haiti fed during this time and provided other assistance help as well. Clooney has also helped support the Not on Our Watch foundation, which helped highlight human rights atrocities around the world and raise money to support those impacted by these terrible events.
Such recovery help is not uncommon for the most successful people in Hollywood. Many actors and actresses like Clooney came from humble beginnings and want to give back to a world that has rewarded them for their talents. Clooney's intelligent planning and his big-name draw have helped many of these foundations and organizations raise millions to help in these charitable causes.
From Humble Beginnings to Unbelievable Heights
Learning about George Clooney's net worth is a fascinating story, one that finds a young, handsome, and ambitious actor crawling from early, laughable roles where he probably earned only a few thousand dollars for weeks of work to a success story that you can only find in Hollywood. Moreover, it may give readers hope for their life, mainly young and driven people who may be interested in acting.
After all, if George Clooney, who, we remind you, once starred in a film called “Grizzly II” (alongside future stars Laura Dern and Charlie Sheen!), a movie so poorly conceived and funded it was simply scrapped, can succeed, so can you. Persistence and careful business planning, along with knowing when to get lending help, may help you transform your life for the better for good.
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