Two-Time Academy Award Winning Former ‘ER’ Heartthrob Turns 65
Two-Time Academy Award Winning Former ‘ER’ Heartthrob Turns 65
Kendra SyrdalWed, May 6, 2026 at 4:20 AM UTC
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George Clooney, known as a certified heartthrob and leading man since he burst onto the acting scene in 1994, turned 65 on May 6th, 2026. The actor (a dual citizen of both the US and France with his family) has long been beloved amongst fans for his smoldering looks, as well as his charm and approachable sense of humor. Clooney was born in Lexington, Kentucky to his mother, a beauty queen and city councilwoman, and father, an anchorman and TV host. He was raised Roman Catholic, spending most of his childhood in various Catholic schools at some of which he was also an altar boy. After graduating high school, Clooney attended both Northern Kentucky University and the University of Cincinnati, where he would major in broadcast journalism but ultimately not complete the degree at either college.
Starting in 1978, Clooney began booking small roles and extra parts on various TV shows including Centennial, The Facts of Life, The Golden Girls, and Roseanne. Additionally during this time, he was a student of acting at The Beverly Hills Playhouse.
Related: George Clooney Reunites With 'ER' Co-star, 'We Kind of Grew up Together'
Booking the role of Dr. Doug Ross on NBC's ER is what would ultimately shoot Clooney towards fame. The medical drama began its epic run in 1994 (the same year Clooney was cast) and is considered by many to be one of the greatest TV shows of all time. Clooney was nominated for two Primetime Emmy Awards and three Golden Globes during his time on the lauded series.
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Clooney began his movie career while filming seasons of ER. The first of which, From Dusk til Dawn, was a box office success that would later spawn its own franchise. Upon leaving the drama in 1999 is when Clooney really established himself as a cinematic leading man in films like The Perfect Storm and O Brother, Where Art Thou?. For the latter, Clooney secured a Golden Globe for Best Actor and even drew comparisons to Clark Gable.
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The following year after O Brother, Where Art Thou?, Clooney starred in the first installment of the Ocean's Eleven franchise, a remake of the 1960s Rat Pack film, playing the titular character, Danny Ocean. The film was a massive success, grossing $451 million worldwide, and cemented Clooney as a huge star. He would star in two more films in the franchise, Ocean's Twelve and Ocean's Thirteen, respectively.
In 2005, Clooney would star in the political thriller, Syriana. He would go on to win the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor for his role in the film. Over the course of his career, Clooney has been nominated for eight Academy Awards. He won his second in 2013 for producing the film, Argo.
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After years of being viewed as a "Most Eligible Bachelor," Clooney became engaged to British-Lebanese human rights attorney Amal Alamuddin in 2014. They were officially married in September of that year in Venice. In 2017, Almuddin-Clooney gave birth to twins, Alexander and Ella. The family spends the majority of their time at Clooney's farm in France.
The widely celebrated actor and father has had quite the career. Here's to seeing what the next decades have to come!
Related: Amal and George Clooney Look Stunning in Rare Appearance
This story was originally published by Parade on May 6, 2026, where it first appeared in the News section. Add Parade as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
Source: “AOL Entertainment”
