George and Amal Clooney were quick to offer a helping hand after a photographer took a tumble on the red carpet. Photo / Screengrabs, @filmser
George and Amal Clooney were quick to offer a helping hand after a photographer took a tumble on the red carpet. Photo / Screengrabs, @filmser
George Clooney has been praised on social media for springing into action after a photographer fell in front of him at Venice Film Festival on Sunday (local time).
The actor, 63, had been walking the red carpet at the premiere of his new film, Wolfs, when he spotted the tumble.
Clooney and his wife Amal, 46, both rushed forward to assist the photographer, who quickly dusted himself off and resumed snapping pictures of the glamorous couple.
The jovial star made sure he was the centre of the attention at the premiere, cavorting on the red carpet and, to the delight of onlookers, even joining the photographers for a quick turn behind the camera.
When photographers fall, George's here to help. Amal and George Clooney at World Première of 'WOLFS' in Venice. #Venezia81pic.twitter.com/X0kBHaZzHg
Clooney and his longtime friend and co-star Brad Pitt play criminal “clean-up” specialists in the new film, a buddy action-comedy that will be available to stream in New Zealand from September 28.
The film follows the two professional fixers as they are unexpectedly hired for the same job – disposing of a body in a hotel room – despite typically operating as “lone wolves”.
It’s not the first time Clooney and Pitt, 60, have appeared together on the silver screen. The dynamic duo famously co-starred in the Ocean’s heist franchise, including Ocean’s Eleven(2001), Ocean’s Twelve (2004) and Ocean’s Thirteen (2007). The two then appeared in 2008′s Burn After Reading, while Pitt had a small role in Clooney’s directorial debut, Confessions of a Dangerous Mind, in 2002. They also acted alongside each other in the 2012 play, 8.
The friends and their significant others were snapped in a series of group shots at the premiere, with the film festival marking the red carpet debut of Pitt and his girlfriend of about two years, Ines de Ramon.
The Clooneys had been spotted enjoying a double date with Pitt and de Ramon in Venice a day earlier.
Amal Clooney, George Clooney, Ines de Ramon and Brad Pitt were snapped at the Venice Film Festival a day after enjoying a double date together. Photo / Pascal Le Segretain / Getty Images
Speaking to reporters ahead of Wolfs’premiere, Clooney strenuously denied reports that he and Pitt had each received a staggering US$35 million (NZ$56m) payday to star in the project.
Citing several sources, a recent article by the New York Times claimed the A-listers were each paid “more than [US]$35m” to appear in Wolfs; however, Clooney dismissed the claims.
“[It was] an interesting article and whatever her source was for our salary, it is millions and millions and millions of dollars less than what was reported,” Clooney told reporters, as quoted by People.
“And I am only saying that because I think it’s bad for our industry if that’s what people think is the standard bearer for salaries. I think that’s terrible, it’ll make it impossible to make films.”
His comments came during a discussion about Apple’s decision not to give Wolfsa wide theatrical release in the US, People reports. Instead, the tech giant opted to give the film a limited run in select theatres for a week before making it available on Apple’s streaming service – a call Clooney branded “a bummer”.
“Yes, we wanted it to be released [in theatres],” he said.
“When I did The Boys in the Boat, we did it for MGM, and then it ended up being for Amazon and we didn’t get a foreign release at all, which was a surprise. There are elements of this that we are figuring out. You guys are all in this too. We’re all in this industry and we’re trying to find our way post Covid and everything else, and so there’s some bumps along the way,” he reiterated.
“It is a bummer, of course, but on the other hand, a lot of people are going to see the film and we are getting a release in a few hundred theatres, so we’re getting a release. But yeah, it would’ve been nice if we were to have a wide release.”
Wolfs also stars Amy Ryan, Poorna Jagannathan and Austin Abrams.
Clooney and Pitt also serve as producers through their respective production companies, Smokehouse Pictures and Plan B Entertainment.
Ines de Ramon and Brad Pitt made their red carpet debut as a couple at the 'Wolfs' premiere at Venice Film Festival. Photo / Annalisa Ranzoni / Getty Images
Also at the Venice Film Festival on Sunday, Clooney spoke out about the impact his New York Times July op-ed, “I Love Joe Biden. But We Need a New Nominee”, may have had on the upcoming election and US politics more broadly.
When a reporter asked him about the op-ed during a press conference for Wolfs, Clooney responded: “I’ve never had to answer this question, so I might as well here.”
Clooney’s public stance as one of President Joe Biden’s biggest supporters and fundraisers in Hollywood was seen as a major influence on Biden leaving the race in July and endorsing Vice-President Kamala Harris, the Democratic presidential candidate.
“The person who should be applauded is the President, who did the most selfless thing that anyone’s done since George Washington,” Clooney told reporters.
“What should be remembered is the selfless act of someone who – you know, it’s very hard to let go of power. We know that. We’ve seen it all around the world. And for someone to say, ‘I think there’s a better way forward’. All the credit goes to him … And all the rest of it will be long gone and forgotten.”
Wolfs will be available to stream in New Zealand on Apple TV+ from September 28.
