Toronto Film Festival 2011

09/10/2011 11:59 PM

What do you think of George Clooney the actor vs George Clooney the director?

George Clooney: George Clooney likes to talk about himself in the third person, mostly. Listen, I don't like to think in those terms, that you have to completely separate yourself, one from the other. This is one of those films where it's such a good part its such a good director, whatever he says, you do. It makes it easy as an actor, I didn't have to think as a director at all.

How did the project come about?

Alexander Payne: I have a very small production company under Fox Searchlight and the novel reached us about four years ago in galley. We optioned it and I at the time was not going to make it, I was busy writing something else. Anyway, two years went by and finally decided to do it -- this was July of '09. I sat down with the book and started adatpting. I flew to Toronto two years ago and told him a script was coming his way and he'd have it by November and I'd like to start shooting in March, and it happened that way.

Which character was more challenging, 'Ides of March' or 'The Descendants'?

George Clooney: This was obviously a lot more challenging to do as actor, because when you're directing yourself, you're only doing, I'm doing a part that I know exactly what I need done in it, and I'm filling a gap I need in the film, I'm playing the candidate, I know how he had to be and I could fill it. This one is a very uncomfortable zone with a lot of onuncmortable people. obviously this wa sa much more difficult part but i also had a much better director, so i was very lucky in those terms.

What did you draw upon playing a father?

George Clooney: I've played a father before, a few times. i dont htink you have to hsoot heroin to play a heroin addict. i really dont see, you dont have to have those -- most people aren't, im not runing for president but i can play a candidate. most of hte time you dont have to have thos ethings in your life to undersatnd what it was like. and i had these girls with me and i it was like having children except you get to give them away at the end of the day, which was nice.

What drew you to the role?

George Clooney: It all starts with Alexander. I met him here. I had a meeting with him and wanted to working with him and I was very close to getting 'Sideways' but he gave it to someone else. Before I read the script I told the project because I wanted to work with him and then I read the script and said, wow I want to do this part, and a really good script in the hands of a really good director, it's an easy yes.

Why did George work as the star for this film?

Alexander Payne: He's the right age, the right look, the right height, and I also had, even though we did not work together on sideways, hes really one of hte few contemporary stars that i wanted to work with. i expected that we'd hit it off and i head heard what a joy it was to work wiht him because of all the positive energy he brought iwth him, and its true. but it just worked out that he was completely right for the choice.

What's it like to do emotional scenes with George Clooney?

Amara Miller: For the emotional scenes, it wasn't really -- it wasn't really hard for me to pull out emotions like that. In the scene, especially where I find out where my mom was going to die, it wasn't that hard to pull out tears because I have had a family member pass away and I just had to think of that moment, and it didn't really think of it as hard.

Payne points out that Amara had never been in any production before.

Shailene Woodley: When you have George and Alexander and they're giving a comfortable environment, when you have a script as brilliantly written as this one by Alexander, and you're really listen to what George is saying, the emotion comes up naturally. When George looks you in the eye and says your mom is passing away, as a human, for me at least, a natural reaction is you're going to cry.

Is it hard competing with yourself, having two films in the same season, for box office and awards?

George Clooney: I find that it's a very odd thing to think of competition when talking about what I still think of as art. I never think of competing with actors or filmmakers. You still compete at the box office, we're far enough apart that I'm not concerned with that either. We want films to be liked... at the end of the day I don't really think about competition, I don't really think about it, I don't want to think of it as a race with anyone, I dont want to race alexander, that would be a drag.

How did you get into the role of playing Matt King?

George Clooney: Alexander helps a lot. There's a funny thing that happens; you can make a really bad movie out of a good script, but you can't make a good movie out of a bad script. It starts with the screenplay. It was a really well written screenplay... when you see the film, the thing that is Alexander's specialty is the ability to switch on a dime between funny and sad. It's hard to do, and it's hard as an actor to do.

Today 0:12 AM

How did the cast bond?

Alexander Payne: I think they arrived in Honolulu about ten days before shooting. And yes we did rehearsals, but fairly casual ones where we just read the script, but not very long per day. I think it's very important in those circumstances, not formally for the director, but for them to get to know each other and that shows up. They're all interested in finding things in common and that show sup on screen

George Clooney: I think the most important rehearsal you can do is just spend time together, and I think he makes a great environment for that.

Reflect on your career, from TV to movies

George Clooney: I was on some pretty crappy TV shows -- and I was prety crappy on the shows so I can't just call the shows crappy -- but you always think of yourslef as a film actor, you think now I'm on this crappy TV show but I'm have this great film career soon that I wasn't actually having. You're at first just trying to get a job... and then it's just getting lucky. With ER, that was just luck. We were supposed to be on Friday nights, we wouldn't have gotten a third of the viewers we would have gotten on Thursday night. We got 35 million a week... Immediately I went from obscure to being able to get roles... That wasn't me, that was luck. I was still the same actor... I got a good couple of lessons with some not great films, and then I realized if i'm going to be held responsible, I have to care about the whole film.

On choosing acting vs. directing

George Clooney: My career path for the last 10 years or so is to direct. Directing takes a long time to get done. My day job is acting, That's how I make my living, and directing is something i want to do... so in between that, if I get to work with good directors, there we go.

How did you learn to direct?

George Clooney: Before I did my first film I read Sidney Lumet's book on directing, which was helpful. He teaches you tricks... setting up a first shot, even if you're enot going to use it... It doesn't hurt to watch some of his films, i think 'Network' is a masterpiece, I think he had as good a decade as anyone.

Alexander Payne: Clint Eastwood, at least whose footsteps you're at least indirectly following, could point to Sergio Leone as someone he studied, I imagine you had that relationship with Soderbergh. DId he have much influence?

George Clooney: Stephen and I, after we did 'Out of Sight,' we put this company together, and his idea was he wanted to infuse back into the studio system, the independent vibe of the 60s, he wanted to reinvest that back in the studio system. I liked the idea of non-linear films, I liked the idea of not having tell the story from the beginning to the end, that less is more, you can trust the audience to catch on.

She won't show up on the red carpet by his side,

Guest wrote:Just accept he is how he is. It is his life and he chooses who to put in it and not anyone here. They are cute together and he looks happy so be happy for the guy. Its his life not yours.

So, accept her as the new one and enjoy. be glad you know now and look forward to years of them together ad that to talk about.

Why would all the different sitings be a lie? Its not that his new girl and its his life. He's a grown man and makes his own life decisions. He flew her in because she's his girlfriend. You had all summer to accept this as true so now accept it. What more proof do you need> You have more than enough.

So, start a girlfriends feed for her now s was done for all those others. Some of you have been here for ages and should be used to this as being how he is so it shouldn't be shocking.

Why would you be? You don't know him and he is a grown man that makes choices he see as best for himself. I accept this pairing and I don't consider it hidden at all.

Cinderella wrote:Because it has not been confirmed yet by George? We're looking for confirmation... Hearsay is not confirmation. IMO

Katiedot wrote:
@Louis: how is George "using" his personal life? As far as I can see he's done EVERYTHING fans posting here in the forum have wanted him to do: he's dating under the radar, he's not making any public statements, he's trying not to be seen with her and is certainly not taking her out publicly. This is what so many posters here have suggested he did.

Remember that the most common comment about Betty (and Sarah Larson in her time) was that fans could accept (or ignore) his appalling taste in women but we're angered by the fact that he parades them so publicly. So many posters pointed to Matt Damon and his wife as a great example. Now, it looks like George is doing exactly that yet somehow that's still not good enough!

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TIFF, Day 3: Freakin' Clooney Just Won't Leave
September, 10, 2011 9:34 pm

He's back. Or more to the point, he never left.

George Clooney, who was the center of attention at the Toronto International Film Festival on Friday with his film "The Ides of March," was once again front and center on Saturday night, when Alexander Payne's "The Descendants" had its official world premiere at the VISA Screening Room (an awfully prosaic modern name for the ornate old Elgin Theatre).

You couldn’t drive or take a taxi within a block of the theater, and if you tried you got bogged down in impossible traffic. But on foot, it was even worse, with barricades that made making your way to the theater entrance a claustrophobic fight through nearly impassable crowds.

From Toronto Life

HOME September 12, 2011 The Magazine |

At A Dangerous Method’s party at Soho House, A-list celebrities outnumbered the common folk

The sheer abundance of A-listers at A Dangerous Method’s party at Soho House put celeb gossip mongers on overload, and by 2:30 a.m., the party was still going strong, making those working the event wish George Clooney would just go back to his hotel already so the rest of us could call it a night. Who we spotted, who they hung out with and what we overheard after the jump (plus pictures, lots of pictures).
David and Caitlin—along with the rest of the Cronenberg clan—were on hand from the beginning of the night and were seen chatting with other big name Canadians like Arcade Fire’s Win Butler and wife Régine Chassagne (everyone knew who they were). Bono chatted with George Clooney, and although we couldn’t get close enough to hear them over the thudding music, we guess they talked about saving the world. (We did manage to overhear Clooney passionately discussing South Sudan). Clooney and rumoured-flame Stacy Keibler sat down to dinner, noshing on pasta in a tomato basil sauce, while Keira Knightley skipped carbs and jumped right into snogging with current beau, Klaxons vocalist and keyboardist James Righton. We were entranced by Knightley’s Erdem gown, but we turned away to have a chat with Righton where he explained that he likes Toronto’s Kensington Market because it reminds him of Camden. He also mentioned that he and Knightley dined at Sotto Sotto and had dim sum Saturday at Lai Wah Heen.

Evan Rachel Wood lived out the dreams of many when she was seen smacking Ryan Gosling’s bottom, but Gosling was also spotted speaking with Emily Blunt, likely because he’s trying to put any Eva Mendes gossip to rest. Kate Mara and Max Minghella (who played Divya Narendra in The Social Network) were seen canoodling and sharing kisses, and Parks and Recreation star Adam Scott spoke to us about his latest TIFF film, Friends with Kids, which led to being introduced to friend Richard Kelly (best known for writing and directing Donnie Darko). Scott greeted leather jacket-clad Jonah Hill with an enthusiastic “Hey!” and was spotted later chatting with Parks and Recreation co-star Chris Pratt and Anna Faris. A scruffy Jon Hamm showed up wearing an untucked denim shirt with elbow patches and spent most of the night hanging out with his girlfriend, Jennifer Westfeldt, while Justin Long—sporting a faded stonewashed denim jacket—chatted with Friday Night Lights star Scott Porter.

Jimmy Kimmel looked kind of surprisingly handsome and had his sidekick, Guillermo Diaz, by his side. Ewan McGregor, Kirsten Dunst, Emile Hirsch, Michelle Monaghan, Gina Gershon, Dave Matthews (who played ping pong), and Morgan Spurlock (who was really into dancing to Ace of Base) were also seen hanging out, but leave it to Paz de la Huerta to show up at nearly 3am with her lipstick not matching her outfit.

This Year's Vanity Fair Party was a Splashy Affair (obviously)

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Charmed, I’m sure (Image: Jeff Vespa/WireImage/Getty Images Entertainment)

There are certain markers that make a TIFF party successful: people need to be happy (drunk), celebrities (i.e. not the Degrassi kids) need to be there for at least 10 minutes, and people need to be happy (drunk). Vanity Fair and Belvedere Red delivered last night, hosting its annual party that brought out guests—and apparently best friends—Bono and George Clooney, who were inseparable all night (the two left Scarpetta moments after arriving, because they had to get to what is now being referred to, by us, as the best after party of TIFF 2011—so far). It girl in the making Elizabeth Olsen was spotted getting up close and intimate with T-shirt-under-blazer-clad Emile Hirsch in front of a giant bottle of Belvedere vodka that glowed red, as if Scarpetta had somehow transformed into C Lounge. Olsen wasn’t drinking, but leaned in to hear Hirsch’s whispers over a Rihanna soundtrack, and moments after, Olsen got up from her seat and left Scarpetta—okay, not immediately, she vanished after a tête-à-tête with Clooney.

Clooney once again was walking around with new flame Stacy Keibler, who likely couldn’t have imagined that an entertainment wrestling career would lead to a Vanity Fair party (ladies, take note). Kirsten Dunst and Alexander Skarsgård swung by briefly late in the evening after their Melancholia fête at Bloor Street’s Hugo Boss, staying so close they were each other’s wingman (actors, pals, confidantes). Other visitors included Alison Janney (who was spotted rubbing herself up on Melancholia’s Brady Corbet), Juliette Lewis , Hugh Dancy, Alexander Payne and Sean Durkin. The drink of choice was champagne, being sipped by everyone—media, writers, A-listers—even former O.C. actor Diana Gitelman (she played the Alien Girl for two whole weeks). Gitelman is in town to support Jonathan Levine’s film 50/50 (she’s dating his brother Ross). Alcohol wasn’t the only popular vice last night, as Scarpetta’s terrace proved to be pretty buzzy, with handsome gents Jean Dujardin and James Franco breaking away for a smoke break (or just a break, because it was really loud in there).

laetval wrote:Pics : [You must be registered and logged in to see this link.]

Nice pic of Grant : [You must be registered and logged in to see this link.]

sandwiches wrote:Cindigirl - According to the DJ on the rock radio station I listen to GC is still here in Toronto.