No Hollywood star seems as intrinsically tied to Venice as .
Twenty-six years ago he attended his first with the instant classic 鈥淥ut of Sight鈥�; 19 years ago, it鈥檚 where he debuted his sophomore film, 鈥淕ood Night, and Good Luck,鈥� which earned him his first best director nomination; and 10 years ago, it鈥檚 where he exchanged vows with then Amal Alamuddin, at the Aman Venice, a five-star hotel perched alongside the Grand Canal.
Venice is a city that he, like many, thinks is one of the most beautiful in the world. Unlike most people, he also owns 15-bedroom villa a few hours away on Lake Como that famously co-starred in 鈥淥cean鈥檚 Twelve.鈥�
Though he鈥檚 never all that far away from Venice, or the city鈥檚 namesake film festival, it might come as a surprise that Clooney hasn鈥檛 had a film debut there in seven years. But that clock resets next week as he returns with the Jon Watts-directed heist thriller that reunites him with Brad Pitt.
It won鈥檛 be the first time Clooney and Pitt have graced the festival鈥檚 red carpet together, either. In anticipation of his big return, here are some of Clooney鈥檚 most memorable Venice moments.
1998: 鈥淥ut of Sight鈥�
As legend has it, Clooney's longterm love affair with Venice may have begun with the festival's premiere of Steven Soderbergh's adaptation 鈥淥ut of Sight.鈥� Then 37 and doing press alongside Jennifer Lopez, the actor would also make another big jump soon: Leaving 鈥淓R鈥� that February.
2003: 鈥淚ntolerable Cruelty鈥�
This Coen brothers joint, co-starring Catherine Zeta-Jones, premiered out of competition at the 60th Venice Film Festival, alongside titles like 鈥淢atchstick Men,鈥� 鈥淥nce Upon a Time in Mexico鈥� and 鈥淭he Dreamers.鈥� Clooney's nearby Italian residence was already as famous as him, and a stakeout spot for amateur and professional paparazzi.
In a profile that fall, while shooting 鈥淥cean's Twelve,鈥� Vanity Fair writer Ned Zeman observed: 鈥淭hat an affable, self-effacing Kentucky-born Hollywood actor is fast becoming the most popular public figure in Italy says a little about Italy and a lot about Clooney, who isn鈥檛 Italian, doesn鈥檛 speak Italian, and lives here only in summertime.鈥�
2005: 鈥淕ood Night and Good Luck鈥�
Clooney's acclaimed black-and-white dramatization of journalist Edward R. Murrow's clash with Joseph McCarthy began its successful run in competition at the 62nd Venice Film Festival. Though it lost the Golden Lion to Ang Lee's 鈥淏rokeback Mountain,鈥� it did go on to pick up six Oscar nominations including for Clooney's directing. Next year, he'll also be making in an adaptation.
During the trip, he also inspired a cocktail still served at the ritzy Belmond Hotel Cipriani on Giudecca. One night he retreated to the hotel's Gabbiano Bar where his friend, the legendary bar manager Walter Bolzonella, mixed him a drink of lemon, sugar, vodka, cranberry juice, ginger and Angostura bitters and named it Buona Notte in honor of the film. The two would later name a Prosecco, passionfruit and elderflower cocktail La Nina after Clooney's mother, which was served at his wedding.
2007: 鈥淢ichael Clayton鈥�
Tony Gilroy's 鈥淢ichael Clayton," which nabbed Clooney an Oscar nomination for his turn as the titular law firm fixer, played in competition at Venice. The top prize went again to an Ang Lee film: 鈥淟ust, Caution," which also beat out the likes of 鈥淚'm Not There,鈥� 鈥淎tonement鈥� and 鈥淭he Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford.鈥�
2008: 鈥淏urn After Reading鈥�
This Coen brothers comedy featuring Clooney and Pitt opted to debut out of competition in the opening night slot. He said it completed his 鈥渢rilogy of idiots" that he'd played for the Coens, including 鈥淚ntolerable Cruelty鈥� and 鈥淥 Brother, Where Art Thou?鈥� 鈥淟ooking at the parts we are playing, I鈥檓 very concerned about what you think of us,鈥� Clooney said at the press conference. Pitt, who'd won the festival's acting prize the year prior, added: 鈥淟ike George 鈥� I鈥檓 not sure if I should be flattered or insulted."
2011: 鈥淭he Ides of March鈥�
Another opening night, out of competition slot debut for this Clooney-directed campaign thriller starring Ryan Gosling and Philip Seymour Hoffman. As usual, Clooney was peppered with political questions in which he observed that, 鈥渋t's a very difficult time to govern.鈥�
2013: 鈥淕ravity鈥�
Alfonso Cuar贸n's 鈥淕ravity鈥� opened the 70th edition of the Venice Film Festival before going on to win seven Oscars. Clooney, of course, attended the premiere alongside Sandra Bullock and he was self-deprecating about his role: 鈥淭here were only two parts and Sandy had the other one, so I felt like this was the only one I could get away with.鈥�
2014: George and Amal get married
The canals were packed with paparazzi for the nuptials of one of Hollywood's favorite bachelors. On Sept. 27, Clooney, then 53, and Alamuddin, then 36, exchanged vows in front of 100 of their closest friends and family, including Bono and Matt Damon, at the luxury hotel Aman Grand Canal, originally a grand palazzo built in 1550. She wore a custom Oscar de la Renta dress, of French lace, pearls and diamant茅 accents. He wore a black wool/cashmere Giorgio Armani tuxedo.
2017: "Suburbicon"
Clooney returned to the festival with another of his directing projects, about a seemingly idyllic 1950s community with Damon and Julianne Moore. This festival was especially notable for it being the Clooneys' first public appearance since the birth of their twins, Alexander and Ella, a few months prior.
2023: Spotlight on Amal
This time George was the plus one to , who was receiving an award from the Diane von Furstenberg and The Diller-von Furstenberg Family Foundation for her work as a human rights lawyer. The power couple gave last year's festival some much-needed star power amid the actors strike with an appearance at the adjacent DVF Awards. 鈥淚 am here in Venice with my husband; he is a rising star,鈥� she said that night. 鈥淚 just wanted to say, you, my love, like this city, take my breath away."
Lindsey Bahr, The Associated Press
