George Clooney stands as one of the last true movie stars, bridging the gap between Old Hollywood charm and modern celebrity. While fans know him for his smooth style in the Ocean's franchise, he also possesses a mischievous side that fuels his legendary pranks. He successfully transitioned from a television doctor on ER to an Oscar-winning director and producer. Furthermore, his humanitarian work and business ventures prove he offers much more than just a handsome face. Prepare to meet the man who cuts his own hair with a vacuum cleaner.
George Clooney
He owned a pot-bellied pig named Max for eighteen years. George Clooney often joked that the three-hundred-pound animal was the longest successful relationship of his life. The pig slept in his bedroom and occasionally appeared in interviews with him.
Surprisingly, he cuts his own hair with a Flowbee. He revealed that he has used the vacuum cleaner attachment for decades because it is fast and easy. Therefore, his famous red carpet haircuts actually come from a television infomercial device.
He once gave fourteen of his closest friends one million dollars each. He invited “The Boys” to dinner and handed them suitcases full of cash to thank them for their support before he became famous. In addition, he paid the taxes on the gifts so they could keep the full amount.
He constantly apologizes for Batman & Robin. He openly admits that he thought he had destroyed the Batman franchise with his performance. Consequently, he often jokes about the infamous “bat-nipples” on his costume during interviews.
He tried out for the Cincinnati Reds baseball team in 1977. Before he pursued acting, George Clooney wanted to play professional baseball like his favorite players. Unfortunately, the team cut him after the first round of tryouts, ending his sports dreams.
He sold his tequila company for one billion dollars. He originally started Casamigos with friends simply because they wanted a tequila that didn’t cause hangovers. However, the brand grew so popular that a major beverage company bought it for a record-breaking sum.
He voiced a dog on South Park. In the early days of the show, he asked for a role and the creators cast him as Sparky, the gay dog. Uniquely, his entire performance consisted only of various barks and whimpers.
He lived in a friend’s closet when he first moved to Los Angeles. With no money and no job, he relied on the kindness of his friend to survive the early days. Thus, the future superstar slept in a cramped closet until he found steady acting work.
He worked as a door-to-door insurance salesman. Before his big break, he took several odd jobs to pay the bills, including selling women’s shoes and cutting tobacco. He admits he was terrible at selling insurance because he always checked if the customers really needed it.
He suffered from facial paralysis in high school. George Clooney developed Bell’s palsy during his freshman year, which paralyzed half of his face for several months. Although students nicknamed him “Frankenstein,” he credits the experience with helping him develop a sense of humor.
He put a rude bumper sticker on Brad Pitt’s car as a prank. The sticker read “F*ck Cops” in large letters, and he placed it on the car right before Pitt drove through Los Angeles. Naturally, police officers pulled Pitt over almost immediately.
His aunt was the legendary singer Rosemary Clooney. He worked as her driver when he was a struggling actor, driving her to various singing gigs. She served as his connection to the golden age of show business and offered him career advice.
He starred in Return of the Killer Tomatoes. One of his earliest film roles involved fighting mutant vegetables in this cult horror-comedy. It serves as a reminder that even the biggest stars often start at the bottom of the Hollywood ladder.
He played a handyman on The Facts of Life. Long before ER, he appeared as the character George Burnett on the popular eighties sitcom. He charmed the main characters and the audience, hinting at the heartthrob status he would later achieve.
Finally, George Clooney became the highest-paid actor in 2018 without appearing in a movie. Thanks to the massive sale of his tequila company, he topped the Forbes list despite having no major film releases that year. This feat highlighted his incredible business acumen outside of entertainment.
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Kim Basinger defined Hollywood glamour in the 1980s and 90s. She transitioned from a successful modeling career to become an Oscar-winning actress. Furthermore, she starred in some of the highest-grossing films of her era. Consequently, her life off-screen has been just as dramatic and interesting as her movie roles. Explore these fascinating details about the star.
Kim Basinger
In 1989, Kim Basinger ambitiously bought the town of Braselton, Georgia. However, she eventually had to sell the property at a significant loss. Therefore, her dream of building a movie studio there never came true.
Interestingly, her failed investment inspired the hit show Schitt’s Creek. Specifically, the creators read about how she purchased the town for 20 million dollars. Consequently, they developed the comedy series based on the idea of a wealthy family owning a small town.
Unfortunately, she suffers from severe agoraphobia. For instance, she once stayed inside her house for six months because she felt too afraid to leave. Eventually, she had to relearn how to drive a car after undergoing therapy.
At one point, she dated Prince and recorded an album with him. During the filming of Batman, the two had a passionate relationship. Furthermore, they produced an album called Hollywood Affair, although it was never released to the public.
Surprisingly, she turned down the lead role in the classic movie Sleepless in Seattle. She read the script and thought the premise of falling in love over the radio was unrealistic. As a result, the movie became a massive success without her participation.
Early in her career, Kim Basinger threw her modeling portfolio into the East River. Although she was a top model for the Ford agency, she actually hated the profession. Thus, to mark her transition into acting, she tossed her professional photos into the water.
Before she became a movie star, she was the face of Breck Shampoo. In fact, she appeared in numerous magazine ads and TV commercials for the brand. Consequently, her blonde hair made her one of the most recognizable models in the country.
Eventually, she won an Oscar for her role in L.A. Confidential. Critics praised her performance as Lynn Bracken, a Veronica Lake look-alike. Moreover, this victory proved she was a serious actress and not just a sex symbol.
She met her second husband, Alec Baldwin, on a movie set. They played lovers in the film The Marrying Man. However, their subsequent marriage and divorce became intense tabloid fodder for many years.
Despite her fame, she is extremely shy by nature. As a child, her parents even had her tested for autism because she refused to talk in school. Similarly, she struggled to speak during her Oscar acceptance speech due to stage fright.
She played a Bond girl in Never Say Never Again. Specifically, she starred opposite Sean Connery in his final appearance as James Bond. Subsequently, this role helped launch her career as a major international sex symbol.
Additionally, she is a strict vegetarian and animal rights activist. Therefore, she has posed for several PETA anti-fur campaigns to raise awareness. She often credits her youthful appearance to her plant-based diet.
She played Eminem’s mother in the movie 8 Mile. Reportedly, she took the gritty role to challenge herself as an actress. The rapper praised her performance, and consequently, they maintained a friendship after filming ended.
Her father was a big band musician. Don Basinger played jazz in the army, and as a result, he influenced her love for music. This background helped her later when she sang in various movie roles throughout her career.
Finally, she washed her own hair for her Batman audition. To explain, she wanted to look disheveled and frantic like the character Vicki Vale. The director loved her messy look, and he cast her immediately.
Anne Bancroft remains one of Hollywood’s most magnetic and complex actresses. While everyone remembers her for The Graduate, her artistry stretched far beyond that role. Behind the elegance and intensity were fascinating stories, personal quirks, and fearless choices that defined Anne Bancroft’s unforgettable career.
Anne Bancroft
Anne Bancroft was born Anna Maria Louisa Italiano, but she changed her name after a studio executive told her it sounded “too ethnic.”
She studied under Lee Strasberg at the Actors Studio in New York, where she developed her intense Method acting style.
Before Hollywood recognized her, Bancroft worked in television shows where she often performed live scenes without retakes.
She won an Academy Award for The Miracle Worker, yet she nearly turned down the role because she was exhausted from Broadway performances.
Anne Bancroft starred in The Graduate at only 35 years old, even though her co-star Dustin Hoffman was 29.
Despite her fame, she disliked being labeled a sex symbol and preferred complex, intelligent characters.
Mel Brooks first saw her on stage and fell in love instantly. They married in 1964 and stayed together for over 40 years.
She secretly wrote short stories and poems, and she once said writing gave her “a private world to breathe in.”
Anne Bancroft directed Fatso in 1980, making her one of the few women directors in Hollywood at the time.
She never watched The Graduate after its release because she felt uncomfortable seeing herself in such an iconic role.
Bancroft often carried a notebook filled with acting observations and personal reflections that inspired her future performances.
When filming The Elephant Man, Anne spent weeks studying hospital records to portray her character authentically.
She surprised fans when she performed a comedic role in Mel Brooks’s To Be or Not to Be, showing her playful side.
Anne Bancroft voiced her admiration for Meryl Streep, calling her “the actress who carries truth in every blink.”
Her final film appearance, in Heartbreakers, proved she could still captivate audiences with humor, charm, and precision after decades in the industry.
