George Clooney Net Worth

What Is George Clooney's Net Worth and Salary?

George Clooney is an American actor, director, screenwriter, producer, entrepreneur, and activist who has a net worth of $500 million.

Although George Clooney has earned hundreds of millions of dollars through acting, directing, producing, and endorsements, the largest single payday of his career came from the sale of Casamigos Tequila. Clooney and his partners sold the company to Diageo in a deal worth as much as $1 billion.

Clooney became famous playing Dr. Doug Ross on the NBC medical drama "ER" before establishing himself as one of Hollywood's leading movie stars. His films include "From Dusk Till Dawn," "Out of Sight," "Three Kings," "O Brother, Where Art Thou?," "The Perfect Storm," the "Ocean's" trilogy, "Michael Clayton," "Up in the Air," "The Descendants," and "Gravity."

George won an Academy Award for his supporting performance in "Syriana" and a second Oscar as one of the producers of "Argo." He has received Academy Award nominations in six different categories, including acting, directing, screenwriting, and producing. His work behind the camera includes "Confessions of a Dangerous Mind," "Good Night, and Good Luck," "The Ides of March," "The Monuments Men," "The Midnight Sky," and "The Boys in the Boat."

In 2025, Clooney made his Broadway debut as Edward R. Murrow in a stage adaptation of "Good Night, and Good Luck." The production broke box-office records, recovered its full investment in less than two months, and earned Clooney a Tony Award nomination.

Casamigos Tequila

George Clooney founded Casamigos with nightlife entrepreneur Rande Gerber and real estate developer Mike Meldman.

The tequila began as a private project. Clooney and Gerber owned neighboring vacation homes in Mexico and wanted to create a tequila they could drink without experiencing a harsh aftertaste. They worked with a distiller in Jalisco, Mexico, testing different versions until they settled on the formula that became Casamigos.

The partners initially produced the tequila for themselves and their friends. Their annual orders eventually became large enough that they were told they needed to obtain a commercial license. Casamigos entered the public market in 2013 and quickly developed into one of the fastest-growing premium tequila brands in the United States.

In June 2017, Diageo agreed to acquire Casamigos in a deal worth as much as $1 billion. The agreement consisted of $700 million in upfront consideration and up to $300 million in additional payments tied to the brand's performance over the following ten years.

The founders' exact ownership percentages were not disclosed. Had the initial payment been divided evenly, each partner's share would have been $233 million before taxes. A full three-way split of the entire transaction, including every performance payment, would be worth $333 million per founder before taxes.

Clooney and Gerber remained associated with Casamigos following the sale, helping preserve the personal identity that had been central to the company's marketing.

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Early Life

George Timothy Clooney was born on May 6, 1961, in Lexington, Kentucky. His mother, Nina Bruce, was a beauty queen and city councilwoman. His father, Nick Clooney, worked as a television news anchor, game-show host, and journalist.

George grew up around broadcasting and entertainment. His aunt was singer and actress Rosemary Clooney, while his cousins included actors Rafael and Miguel Ferrer.

The Clooney family lived in Kentucky and Ohio during George's childhood. When he was in middle school, he developed Bell's palsy, which temporarily paralyzed part of his face. The condition disappeared within a year, but Clooney later recalled being bullied over it.

He played basketball and baseball and tried out for the Cincinnati Reds after high school. He was not offered a contract.

Clooney attended Northern Kentucky University, where he studied broadcast journalism, and briefly attended the University of Cincinnati. He left college without earning a degree and worked a succession of jobs before committing himself to acting.

Early Acting Career

Clooney received his first acting opportunity after his cousin Miguel Ferrer came to Kentucky to make a film. George accepted a small role in the production and decided to move to Los Angeles.

His early years in Hollywood were difficult. He appeared in television pilots that were never picked up and supported himself with jobs outside acting. He eventually began winning guest roles on established television programs.

Clooney appeared on "The Facts of Life," "Murder, She Wrote," "The Golden Girls," "Hunter," and "Roseanne." He also played a medical intern on the 1984 CBS sitcom "E/R," which was unrelated to the NBC drama that would later make him famous.

From 1991 to 1992, Clooney appeared in 19 episodes of the family drama "Sisters." He earned $40,000 per episode, producing total compensation of $760,000.

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"ER" Breakthrough

Clooney's career changed in 1994 when he was cast as pediatrician Dr. Doug Ross on NBC's "ER."

The series became one of the biggest television programs of the decade. Clooney's combination of charm, confidence, and emotional vulnerability made Doug Ross one of its most popular characters.

He appeared in 109 episodes between 1994 and 1999 and later returned for guest appearances. Clooney received two Primetime Emmy nominations and three Golden Globe nominations for the role.

George earned $100,000 per episode during his later years on "ER." Rather than demanding a larger television salary, he used the series to build his film career. His total earnings from "ER" came to close to $11 million.

While appearing on the show, Clooney starred in "From Dusk Till Dawn," "One Fine Day," "The Peacemaker," "Out of Sight," and "Three Kings."

He also succeeded Val Kilmer as Bruce Wayne in "Batman & Robin." The film was poorly received, and Clooney has frequently joked about his performance and the movie's infamous costume.

Movie Stardom

After leaving "ER," Clooney starred in "O Brother, Where Art Thou?," "The Perfect Storm," and "Ocean's Eleven."

"Ocean's Eleven" paired him with Brad Pitt, Matt Damon, Julia Roberts, and Don Cheadle. Clooney played casino thief Danny Ocean in the 2001 film and returned for "Ocean's Twelve" and "Ocean's Thirteen." The trilogy grossed more than $1 billion worldwide.

Clooney won the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor for playing CIA operative Bob Barnes in the 2005 geopolitical thriller "Syriana." That same year, he directed, co-wrote, and appeared in "Good Night, and Good Luck," which chronicled journalist Edward R. Murrow's confrontation with Senator Joseph McCarthy.

"Good Night, and Good Luck" earned six Academy Award nominations, including Best Picture, Best Director, and Best Original Screenplay. Clooney became the first person to receive acting and directing nominations for two different films in the same year.

He received Best Actor nominations for "Michael Clayton," "Up in the Air," and "The Descendants." His other films included "Burn After Reading," "The Men Who Stare at Goats," "Fantastic Mr. Fox," "The Ides of March," and "The Monuments Men."

Clooney co-starred with Sandra Bullock in "Gravity," which earned more than $720 million worldwide. He later appeared in "Tomorrowland," "Hail, Caesar!," "Money Monster," "Ticket to Paradise," and "Wolfs."

In 2025, Clooney starred opposite Adam Sandler in Noah Baumbach's "Jay Kelly," playing a successful movie star forced to reconsider his career, relationships, and personal history.

(Photo by Alberto E. Rodriguez/Getty Images for Turner)

Directing and Producing

Clooney made his feature directorial debut with "Confessions of a Dangerous Mind" in 2002. He followed it with "Good Night, and Good Luck," "Leatherheads," "The Ides of March," "The Monuments Men," "Suburbicon," "The Midnight Sky," "The Tender Bar," and "The Boys in the Boat."

He co-founded Smokehouse Pictures with writer and producer Grant Heslov. The company has developed film and television projects for major studios and streaming services.

Clooney and Heslov were among the producers of "Argo," which won the 2013 Academy Award for Best Picture. The victory made Clooney one of the few performers to win Oscars for both acting and producing.

Smokehouse also produced projects including "The Men Who Stare at Goats," "The Ides of March," "Our Brand Is Crisis," "Suburbicon," "Catch-22," "The Midnight Sky," "The Tender Bar," and "The Boys in the Boat."

Broadway

In 2025, Clooney made his Broadway debut in a stage version of "Good Night, and Good Luck."

Clooney and Grant Heslov adapted their screenplay for the theater, with Clooney taking the role of Edward R. Murrow. David Strathairn had played Murrow in the original film, while Clooney portrayed CBS producer Fred Friendly.

The production opened at the Winter Garden Theatre and became one of the biggest commercial successes in Broadway history. It was the first Broadway play to gross more than $4 million during a single week.

"Good Night, and Good Luck" recovered its full $9.5 million capitalization in seven and a half weeks. Clooney received a Tony Award nomination for Best Actor in a Play.

The final performance was broadcast live, allowing viewers outside New York to watch the stage production.

Salaries and Career Earnings

George Clooney earned $40,000 for each of his 19 appearances on "Sisters" and $100,000 per episode during his later years on "ER."

His film salaries increased rapidly after "ER" became a hit. He earned $3 million for "One Fine Day," $3 million for "The Peacemaker," $10 million for "Batman & Robin," $10 million for "Out of Sight," and $8 million for "The Perfect Storm."

Clooney earned $20 million for "Ocean's Eleven" and $15 million for "Ocean's Thirteen." He received $15 million for "Intolerable Cruelty" and $20 million plus a share of the revenue from "Gravity."

His exact compensation for "Wolfs" has not been disclosed. Clooney disputed reports claiming that he and Brad Pitt each received $35 million for the film.

Clooney has also earned directing fees, producing fees, backend participation, residuals, and income through Smokehouse Pictures. His acting, directing, producing, and endorsement work has generated more than $250 million before taxes, separate from Casamigos.

Nespresso

Clooney became an international brand ambassador for Nespresso in 2006. He initially appeared in campaigns outside the United States before becoming the company's American spokesperson in 2015.

The partnership developed into one of the longest-running celebrity endorsement relationships in advertising. Clooney has appeared in Nespresso campaigns with performers including Danny DeVito, Matt Damon, Jack Black, and Jean Dujardin.

The exact value of his lifetime Nespresso compensation has never been disclosed.

Clooney has said that he used part of his endorsement income to support the Satellite Sentinel Project, which monitored conflict zones in Sudan and South Sudan using satellite imagery.

Rejected $35 Million Commercial

In 2021, Clooney revealed that he had been offered $35 million to appear in an airline commercial requiring one day of work.

The airline was connected to a country that Clooney described as an ally of the United States but whose actions he and Amal considered questionable. After discussing the offer, they decided that accepting it would conflict with their principles. Clooney declined the job.

Personal Life

George married actress Talia Balsam in 1989. They divorced in 1993.

For many years after the divorce, Clooney said that he did not plan to marry again or have children. He became one of Hollywood's most famous bachelors and had relationships with actresses, models, and television personalities.

Clooney met British-Lebanese human rights lawyer Amal Alamuddin through a mutual friend in 2013. They became engaged in April 2014 and married in Venice that September.

George and Amal welcomed twins, Alexander and Ella, on June 6, 2017.

ALBERTO PIZZOLI/AFP/Getty Images

Humanitarian Work

Clooney has used his public profile to draw attention to war crimes, political repression, mass displacement, and humanitarian crises.

He became deeply involved in efforts concerning Darfur and co-founded Not On Our Watch with Don Cheadle, Matt Damon, Brad Pitt, David Pressman, and Jerry Weintraub. The organization supported international relief and human rights projects.

Clooney also helped launch the Satellite Sentinel Project, which used commercial satellite imagery to monitor military movements and document potential human rights abuses in Sudan and South Sudan.

George and Amal founded the Clooney Foundation for Justice in 2016. The organization provides legal assistance and monitors human rights cases in more than 40 countries.

Its programs include TrialWatch, which monitors criminal proceedings and assists people who have been wrongfully imprisoned, and Waging Justice for Women, which provides legal support to women and girls facing discrimination, forced marriage, and gender-based violence.

Clooney has also supported disaster relief, refugee assistance, veterans' causes, and fundraising efforts following earthquakes, hurricanes, and other emergencies.

Lake Como Villa

George Clooney purchased Villa Oleandra in Laglio, Italy, in 2002 for a price near $10 million. He later acquired an adjoining property, Villa Margherita, creating a large private compound on the western shore of Lake Como.

The 18th-century estate contains 25 rooms and includes landscaped gardens, a swimming pool, a gym, a tennis court, a movie theater, and direct access to the lake.

Villa Oleandra became one of the world's best-known celebrity homes. Clooney has hosted friends including Brad Pitt, Matt Damon, Jennifer Aniston, Barack and Michelle Obama, and Prince Harry and Meghan Markle at the property.

John Krasinski and Emily Blunt held their 2010 wedding celebration at the estate. Parts of "Ocean's Twelve" were also filmed there.

Outside estimates have placed the combined Lake Como properties' value above $100 million. Clooney denied reports in 2023 that he planned to sell the estate.

GIUSEPPE CACACE/AFP/Getty Images

GIUSEPPE CACACE/AFP/Getty Images

Photo by Getty Images

Other Real Estate

In 1995, Clooney paid $2.2 million for a secluded home in Studio City, California. He purchased the property from musician Stevie Nicks and expanded it into a private three-acre compound with a main residence, guesthouses, a swimming pool, a tennis court, a basketball court, a screening room, and extensive outdoor entertaining areas.

George used the property as his principal Los Angeles residence for nearly 30 years. In September 2024, he sold it to Christian McCaffrey and Olivia Culpo for $14.5 million.

Shortly after marrying, George and Amal acquired a historic mansion in Sonning, England, for £10 million. The residence sits on a four-acre island in the River Thames and includes a cinema, swimming pool, pool house, gardens, and extensive security features.

The couple purchased an apartment in the Norman Foster-designed tower at 100 East 53rd Street in Manhattan in 2016. The full-floor unit cost $14.7 million.

In 2021, the Clooneys acquired Domaine du Canadel, an estate near Brignoles in Provence, France, for $8.3 million. The property includes an 18th-century manor, vineyard, olive grove, swimming pool, tennis court, and more than 100 acres of land.

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