Clooney Reflects on Risk, Activism at Venice Masterclass

George Clooney used a Venice masterclass to reflect on a five-decade career and his activist work, recalling how he mortgaged his house to finance Good Night, and Good Luck, praising Amal Clooney and the Clooney Foundation’s efforts to free journalists, and debating the actor–director dynamic while sharing anecdotes from projects like A Thin Red Line. He urged aspiring filmmakers to create their own luck, noted personal losses including his sister’s death, and underscored the urgency of defending press freedom and helping those harmed by conflict.