There aren’t many people in the world who haven’t heard of George Clooney or watched at least one of the movies he has starred in. Clooney is one of the highest-paid actors in Hollywood, and as such, he is constantly in the headlines.
As of 2024, George Clooney’s net worth is estimated at $500 million.
Even though he is most popular for his acting career, a large part of the actor’s wealth doesn’t come from Hollywood. Clooney is the co-founder of Casamigos Tequila – and his investments in various businesses have brought him millions over the years.
These days, George Clooney is an actor, director, writer, producer, and businessman. If you want to learn more about his story and wealth, keep reading this post.
How Much is George Clooney Worth in 2024?
- Net Worth: Estimated at $500 million in 2024.
- Casamigos Tequila Sale: Earned around $230 million from the sale in 2017, with the possibility of an additional $100 million by 2027.
- Acting Earnings: Accumulated around $300 million from his acting and production roles.
- Nespresso Collaboration: Has earned at least $40 million since becoming the face of the brand in 2013.
- Real Estate Portfolio: Clooney and his wife Amal own properties worth at least $150 million, including the famous Villa Oleander on Lake Como, valued at $107 million.
George Clooney’s Net Worth Breakdown:
Public personas try hard to hide their earnings but, while Clooney’s earnings per movie role or endorsement deal remain largely undisclosed, we managed to find quite a lot of data to estimate his net worth.
Based on our findings, Clooney’s estimated net worth is over $500 million. He has earned a fortune through his acting and production roles, the sale of his Casamigos brand, and endorsement deals such as the one with Nespresso.
His earnings below are listed pre-taxation and, based on our estimates, this leaves Clooney with over $500 million – and potentially millions more.
| Asset or Income Source | Contribution to Net Worth |
| June 2017 – June 2018 earnings | $239 million |
| Acting earnings | $300 million |
| Casamigos sale | $230 million (and potentially $100M more by 2027) |
| Nespresso collaboration | $40 million |
| Real estate portfolio | at least $150 million (co-owned with wife) |
| Total Net Worth | $500 million |
6 Fun Facts About George Clooney
- Hollywood’s Favorite Prankster: Clooney is famous for his pranks on set. He’s played pranks on co-stars like Brad Pitt and Matt Damon during the Ocean’s Eleven series, and he once sewed his co-star Richard Kind’s pants together as a joke!
- From Failed Athlete to Actor: Before Clooney pursued acting, he tried to become a professional baseball player. He tried out for the Cincinnati Reds but didn’t make the team.
- Almost Batman Forever: George Clooney’s role as Batman in Batman & Robin (1997) is considered one of the most controversial performances of his career. Even Clooney jokes about the film’s failure and often apologizes for it.
- Casanova Turned Family Man: Known for his bachelor lifestyle, Clooney shocked the world when he settled down and married human rights lawyer Amal Alamuddin in 2014. Before meeting Amal, he famously stated he would never marry again.
- The “Million Dollar Coffee” Guy: Clooney has been the face of Nespresso since 2013, and reportedly made over $40 million from the deal, gaining the nickname “The Nespresso Guy.”
- Generous Giver: In 2013, Clooney reportedly gave 14 of his closest friends $1 million each in cash as a thank-you for supporting him throughout his life.
Latest News & Controversies
In mid-2024, Clooney penned a controversial op-ed urging President Joe Biden to step down from his 2024 re-election campaign due to concerns about Biden’s health and ability to win the election.
This strong critique caused a rift within Clooney’s Hollywood circle, leading to backlash from his peers.
Some have accused Clooney of arrogance, questioning why he didn’t address his concerns with Biden privately. His once-close ties with figures in Hollywood and political circles have been strained as a result, with reports that he’s being “yanked off party invites and upcoming projects”.
In addition to this political tension, Clooney continues to face intense media scrutiny over his personal life and health.
During a recent appearance at the Venice Film Festival for the premiere of his latest movie Wolfs, some observers commented on his appearance, expressing concerns that he looked “sick” or unwell. These observations have sparked conversations about his health, though no formal statements have been made by Clooney
Early Life and Education
George Timothy Clooney was born in Lexington, Kentucky, on May 6, 1961. His parents were both public personas, with his mother, Nina Bruce, being a city councilwoman and a beauty queen, while his father, Nick Clooney, was a former anchorman and TV host. George Clooney is one of two children and has an older sister, Adelia.
George Clooney’s family moved often so he studied at many different schools over the years. He first studied at the Blessed Sacrament School in Fort Mitchell Kentucky. Afterward, he studied at St. Michael’s School in Worthington, Ohio, and Western Row Elementary School in Mason. He eventually enrolled at St. Susanna School in Mason, where he also served as an altar boy. When he was in the seventh grade, his family moved back to Kentucky, where he studied at Augusta High School.
When he reached middle school, young Clooney developed Bell’s palsy, a medical condition that partially paralyzed his face. The health problem went away within the year and, when asked about it later, Clooney shared that it was actually a good thing:
“It’s probably a great thing that it happened to me because it forced me to engage in a series of making fun of myself. And I think that’s an important part of being famous. The practical jokes have to be aimed at you.”
In high school, Clooney was an excellent student and an athlete – he played basketball and baseball. He even tried to play professionally with the Cincinnati Reds, but didn’t make it past the round of player cuts.
After his graduation, he enrolled at Northern Kentucky University, where he majored in broadcast journalism, but he didn’t graduate and left school in 1981.
As a college dropout, Clooney had to work a series of odd jobs to support himself. He started earning money selling insurance door to door, selling shoes to women, stocking shelves, cutting tobacco, and even doing some work in construction.
Personal Life
George Clooney was married to actress Talia Balsam for nearly four years between 1989 and 1993. Up until 2014 when he got engaged to human rights lawyer Amal Alamuddin, he dated many celebrities including Charlize Theron, Cameron Diaz, Krista Allen, Linda Thompson, and more.
The famous actor and Alamuddin forged a bond working on a campaign over the issue of the Elgin Marbles, the fantastic sculptures which once adorned the Parthenon and other structures in Athens, Greece, before being stolen by the British. They officially got married on September 27, 2014, at Ca’ Farsetti.
In June 2017, Amal Clooney gave birth to twins – a daughter Ella and a son Alexander.
George Clooney Net Worth: The Hollywood Star’s Successful Acting Career
George Clooney came from a show business family, but he wasn’t exactly wealthy.
The aspiring actor – and college dropout, had to find a way to support himself and follow his passion. He eventually got his first role as an extra in the miniseries Centennial in 1978. It would take years for him to get his first major role, all of which we’ll discuss below.
Early Career
George Clooney landed his first major role after eight years of trying to get into the spotlight. He started his career at the bottom, doing some background work on TV shows.
In 1984, he got a role in the short-lived CBS sitcom E/R, which slowly paved his way toward fame. The show ran between September and February.
After this role, Clooney played a handyman on the TV series The Facts of Life, and got a small role on an episode of The Golden Girls.
The actor’s career started going in the right direction when he took a semi-regular, supporting role in Roseanne, the sitcom where he played Roseanne’s supervisor Booker Brooks.
Some other roles he took on at the beginning of his acting career include:
- Baby Talk (1991)
- Bodies of Evidence (1992) – a co-starring role
- Sisters (1991) – a recurring role
- Return of the Killer Tomatoes (1988) – his first lead role
- Sunset Beat (1990)
George Clooney’s Breakthrough Role
In 1994, George Clooney started playing Dr. Doug Ross on the hit medical drama on NBC, ER. This was his breakthrough role. He remained in the role of Dr. Doug Ross until 1999, cementing himself in the film industry as one of the most promising actors.
Even though he left ER in 1999, Clooney had a cameo appearance in the show’s sixth season and even returned in the show’s final season.
For his work on ER, George Clooney got two Primetime Emmy Award nominations for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series and three Golden Globe nominations for Best Actor – Television Series Drama. He didn’t win any of these, though – not yet.
While he was working on ER, George Clooney also took on other roles. His first major role in Hollywood was in From Dusk Till Dawn, the horror comedy-crime thriller.
He then followed its success with:
- One Fine Day (1996)
- The Peacemaker (1997)
- Batman & Robin (1997)- as Batman
- Out of Sight (1998)
- Three Kings (1999)
Clooney’s Career After ER
By 1999, George Clooney had gained widespread recognition for his role in ER, but this was only the beginning of a highly successful acting career. After he left ER, Clooney took on many roles in successful films, including The Perfect Storm, a major box office success, and O Brother, Where Art Thou?, for which he received another nomination for a Golden Globe Award.
In 2001, Clooney starred in Ocean’s Eleven, one of his most widely recognized roles to date – and a film that led to several others. The film starred Clooney, Julia Roberts, Brad Pitt, Andy Garcia, and Matt Damon. To date, Ocean’s Eleven has inspired two sequels starring George Clooney, namely:
- Ocean’s Twelve (2004)
- Ocean’s Thirteen (2007)
Directorial Debut and Production Company
In 2001, Clooney partnered with Soderbergh and co-founded a production company called Section Eight Productions. The following year, the duo worked together in the science fiction drama Solaris. That same year, Clooney’s directorial debut in Confessions of a Dangerous Mind premiered at the Cannes Film Festival and achieved critical acclaim.
In 2003, he took on a role in the romantic comedy Intolerable Cruelty, starring opposite Catherine Zeta-Jones.
In 2005, Clooney took on a role in Syriana, and he suffered an accident and had a brain injury in the process.
That same year, he starred in – and produced and directed Good Night and Good Luck. For this project, he was nominated for Best Director at the 2006 Academy Awards, and he won the Oscar for Best Supporting Actor for Syriana.
After he won his first Oscar, George Clooney starred in The Good German. That same year, in 2006, he and Heslov started a production company called Smokehouse Pictures.
By 2008, he had taken roles in several other movies, including Michael Clayton (nominated for Academy Awards for Best Actor), There Will Be Blood, and Leatherheads (which he also directed).
In April 2008, Variety reported that George Clooney had quietly resigned from the Writers Guild of America because of Leatherheads. He reportedly claimed to have contributed most of the scenes for the film and requested a writing credit, but lost an arbitration vote 2-1 and subsequently withdrew from the union.
Since then, George Clooney has produced and/or directed several movies, including:
- The American (2010), for which he was nominated for an Academy Award and Screen Actors Guild Award
- Argo (2013), for which he won the Golden Globe Award for Best Motion Picture – Drama, Academy Award for Best Picture, and BAFTA Award for Best Picture for production.
- The Monuments Men (2013)
- August: Osage County (2013)
- Suburbicon (2017)
- Catch-22 (2019), a historical miniseries for Hulu
- The Midnight Sky (2020)
- The Tender Bar (2021)
- The Boys in the Boat (2023), a biographical sports drama based on the book of the same name
Other Movie Roles
Over the years, we have seen the acting career of George Clooney grow at an impressive pace. In addition to his many productions and directing roles, the famous actor starred in films directed by others, including, but not limited to:
- The Men Who Stare at Goats (2009)
- Fantastic Mr. Fox (2009) – voiceover
- Up In the Air (2009)
- The Descendants (2011), for which he won the Golden Globe Award for Best Actor in a Motion Picture Drama
- Gravity (2013), co-starring with Sandra Bullock
- Tomorrowland (2015)
- A Very Murray Christmas (2015)
- Hail, Caesar! (2016)
- Money Monster (2016)
- Ticket to Paradise (2022)
- The Flash (2023)
- Wolfs (2024)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wLJUPjiRbAM
George Clooney’s Earnings from Acting and Production
For the most part, the individual earnings from films have brought an undisclosed sum to Clooney’s net worth. However, we managed to dig up some information that gives a pretty good picture as to what the actor has been earning over the years.
According to Forbes, Clooney was the world’s highest-paid actor in 2017-2018. He earned an impressive $239 million between June 2017 and June 2018 alone.
Some other data that has been disclosed about his acting earnings include:
- $40,000 per appearance in “Sisters” – 19 episodes for a total of $760,000
- $100,000 per episode on ER – total of around $11 million
- $2 million for The Monuments Men
- $3 million for The Peacemaker
- $3 million for One Fine Day
- $8 million for The Perfect Storm
- $10 million for Out of Sight
- $10 million for Batman and Robin
- $15 million for Intolerable Cruelty
- $35 million for Ocean’s Thirteen and Ocean’s Eleven
- $34 million for Gravity
- $35 million for Wolfs
According to Yahoo, the actor has earned around $300 million for his film and TV career – pre-taxation.
Philanthropy
George Clooney is a long-term philanthropist, having donated and helped countless causes over the years. He is involved with an organization called Not On Our Watch Project, working alongside Brad Pitt, Matt Damon, and other stars to stop and prevent mass atrocities.
In 2010, Clooney organized a telethon called Hope for Haiti Now, collecting donations for the earthquake victims in the area.
In 2015, he founded “The Sentry”, which used forensic investigators and accountants who followed the money stolen from citizens of Sudan by their Governments.
In 2020, George and his wife Amal Clooney donated $100,000 to three Lebanese charities after the deadly explosion in Beirut.
George and Amal Clooney are the founders of the Clooney Foundation for Justice. Amal is an international human rights lawyer.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jztGy05v2Ps
George Clooney’s Business Ventures and Investments
A big chunk of Clooney’s fortune comes from his investments and business ventures. Let’s take a look at what else contributed to his net worth – and how he spends his money.
Business Ventures
In 2013, George Clooney co-founded Casamigos Tequila with Michael Meldman and Rande Gerber.
The trio sold Casamigos Tequila to Diageo in June 2017 for an impressive $700 million. Their contract also included an additional $300 million depending on how the company performs over the next ten years.
If the three partners were equal in the business, we can assume a three-way split of the earnings. This would mean that Clooney’s pre-tax cut from the sale would be around $230 million. If they meet the milestones in the decade after the sale, this would add another $100 million to his net worth.
Endorsements
Like other stars in the entertainment industry, George Clooney has been earning quite a lot from sponsorship deals and endorsements, as well.
Since 2013, the actor has been appearing in commercials for Nespresso. To date, the brand has paid him at least $40 million as part of their contract.
In 2021, Clooney shared that at one point, he was offered $35 million to perform in a shooting for an airline commercial – for one day only. However, he and his wife decided the money wasn’t worth it since the airline was owned by an unnamed country that was only questionably an ally of the US.
Real Estate Portfolio
Clooney and his wife Amal have invested heavily in real estate, both together and separately. Amal’s real estate portfolio is impressive on its own, and so is Clooney’s.
Clooney’s most popular property is the Villa Oleander on Italy’s Lake Como, which he bought for $30 million in 2002.
The property has 15 bedrooms, a tennis court, a gym, a private swimming pool, gardens, a “pizza room”, and much more. Over the years, the famous American actor has opened the doors of his property to many stars, including John Krasinski and Emily Blunt for their wedding, Viola Davis for her honeymoon, and more.
The property is most likely worth at least triple that amount these days. In 2023, the couple was reportedly looking to sell Vila Oleander for $107 million, but Clooney denied these reports.
In addition to this property, the couple owns a six-bedroom mansion in Studio City California, which Clooney bought in 1995 for $2.2 million. The property is worth over $10 million these days.
The Clooneys own a $7 million property in Berkshire, England, an apartment in New York City worth $14.75 million, and a vineyard near Brignoles, France worth $8.3 million.
Clooney also owns a home in Los Cabos Mexico, right next door to Cindy Crawford and Rande Gerber. In 2014, the Clooneys bought the Mill House on an island in the River Thames at Sonning Eye, Oxfordshire at over $12 million.
All of these properties would amount to over $150 million.
What Can We Learn from George Clooney’s Story?
George Clooney’s story is a powerful example of how resilience, talent, and diversification can lead to incredible success and wealth.
The renowned actor has quite a diverse career that spans multiple fields, not only in acting and production but also in business. This reveals lessons applicable to anyone who aims to build wealth or achieve long-term success.
Clooney’s path to success was far from smooth. He started at the bottom, taking minor roles for nearly a decade.
Clooney appeared in many films taking on small roles before he gained widespread recognition, but he didn’t give up. He did odd jobs to support himself and continued to follow his passion – acting. Despite years of rejection and challenges, this was what ultimately led him to his breakthrough role in “ER”.
Now, while most people recognize Clooney for his successful career in Hollywood as an actor and producer, a large part of his wealth comes from his business ventures. His investment in Casamigos is a prime example of how diversifying income sources can help boost one’s net worth significantly.
Finally, Clooney leveraged his fame for endorsement deals and business ventures, but he did so selectively.
The report that he turned down $35 million for a single-day commercial shoot because it didn’t align with his values proves that not every opportunity is worth taking.