CANADA: George Clooney doubles up in Toronto with both of his films "The Descendants" and "The Ides of March" having their North American premieres

Record ID: 191144

  • Title: CANADA: George Clooney doubles up in Toronto with both of his films "The Descendants" and "The Ides of March" having their North American premieres
  • Date: 12th September 2011
  • Summary: TORONTO, ONTARIO, CANADA (SEPTEMBER 10, 2011) (REUTERS) ***CONTAINS FLASH PHOTOGRAPHY*** GEORGE CLOONEY AND THE CAST OF "THE DESCENDANTS" BEING PHOTOGRAPHED AT A PRESS CONFERENCE PRESS CONFERENCE (SOUNDBITE) (English) ACTOR GEORGE CLOONEY SAYING: "I've won an award once so when I die and they say Oscar winner you know it's a great, nice sort of thing to have on the tomb stone. But, you know after that to me it's about, I really like when people appreciate the work. I enjoy good reviews much more than I enjoy bad reviews and I enjoy people celebrating the work, but I really don't have this dying need to collect things." REPORTERS (SOUNDBITE) (English) ACTOR GEORGE CLOONEY SAYING: "Look we'd like both films to be well liked. We try to make films for people, films that we'd like to see. They're not easy to get made, you have to keep the budget low to get them made. But at the end of the day I don't really worry about competition because I don't really think about it that way. I don't feel like I'm in a race with anybody, particularly Alexander, because I don't want to race him, it would really be a drag." (SOUNDBITE) (English) DIRECTOR ALEXANDER PAYNE SAYING: "I'd always heard what a joy it was to work with him because of the great positive energy that he brings and all that was true. But it just worked out great that he was completely right for the part. He was my first and only choice and I'd been wanting to work with this guy." (SOUNDBITE) (English) ACTOR GEORGE CLOONEY SAYING: "I want to do projects that last longer than an opening weekend, that's it. I want to be able to say, you know when they do that thing for you when you're 75 and they bring you in a wheelchair and you got the colostomy bag hanging from the side. You don't want them to say that you had 20 films that opened at number 1, who gives a shit. Honestly, it's an art form that costs millions and millions of dollars, so I understand that it has to make money and I want to make sure it does by keeping the price down, but the truth is that I want to make things that people remember. And if you're able to do five or ten of those in your life that last, then you win, unless somebody steps on your colostomy bag." PRESS CONFERENCE (SOUNDBITE) (English) ACTOR GEORGE CLOONEY SAYING: "Immediately I went from sort of obscurity to being able to get a film. I wasn't able to before. I auditioned a lot but I didn't get them. That was luck, that had very little to do with me. I was the same actor I was in Bodies of Evidence when I was reading for two lines in the film. And then things change and then you start to realize that you have to start taking responsibility for the roles because you are going to be held responsible for the whole movie. If your name is on it or above the title then you actually have to pay attention more to not just your part but to the film." CAST POSING FOR PHOTOS AT PRESS CONFERENCE
  • Embargoed: 27th September 2011 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: Canada, Canada
  • Country: Canada
  • Reuters ID: LVAH2G01P2UIS328TRT7D5M5KNB
  • Story Text: George Clooney takes his second turn in the spotlight at the Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF) on Saturday (September 10), at a press conference to promote his film, "The Descendants."
    Clooney's "The Ides of March," which he also directed made its premiere at TIFF on Friday (September 9).
    In "The Descendants" Clooney plays Matt King, a middle-aged father of two in Hawaii. As his wife lies in a coma in the hospital, the lawyer tries to connect with his daughters and discovers that his wife has had an affair.
    Members of the press already screened "The Descendants" and critics are buzzing about awards for Clooney's performance.
    Asked about the prospect of winning an award, the Oscar winner said that he is only focused on making good movies.
    "I've won an award once so when I die and they say Oscar winner you know it's a great, nice sort of thing to have on the tomb stone. But, you know after that to me it's about, I really like when people appreciate the work. I enjoy good reviews much more than I enjoy bad reviews and I enjoy people celebrating the work, but I really don't have this dying need to collect things."
    Payne began working on the script a few years ago and said he immediately thought it would be a perfect fit for Clooney.
    "I'd always heard what a joy it was to work with him because of the great positive energy that he brings and all that was true. But it just worked out great that he was completely right for the part. He was my first and only choice and I'd been wanting to work with this guy," Payne told reporters.
    While both films will be released this fall, the actor said he is not concerned about them competing against one another.
    "Look we'd like both films to be well liked. We try to make films for people, films that we'd like to see. They're not easy to get made, you have to keep the budget low to get them made. But at the end of the day I don't really worry about competition because I don't really think about it that way. I don't feel like I'm in a race with anybody, particularly Alexander, because I don't want to race him, it would really be a drag."
    Clooney, who got his start in television, reflected on his career and said it was luck that helped him make the transition to the big screen.
    Looking ahead at how he foresees his legacy, the actor said he envisions being honored for projects that have lasting power.
    "I want to do projects that last longer than an opening weekend, that's it. I want to be able to say, you know when they do that thing for you when you're 75 and they bring you in a wheelchair and you got the colostomy bag hanging from the side. You don't want them to say that you had 20 films that opened at number 1, who gives a shit. Honestly, it's an art form that costs millions and millions of dollars, so I understand that it has to make money and I want to make sure it does by keeping the price down, but the truth is that I want to make things that people remember. And if you're able to do five or ten of those in your life that last, then you win, unless somebody steps on your colostomy bag."
    "The Descendants" will have its North American premiere on Saturday (September 10) night.
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