From breakout TV heartthrob to Oscar winning filmmaker, George Clooney built a filmography that moves between crowd-pleasing hits and sharp, risk-taking dramas. The headline facts set the tone fast. He holds eight Academy Award nominations and two wins, including Supporting Actor for “Syriana” in 2006 and Best Picture as a producer of “Argo” in 2013, according to the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. The “Ocean’s” trilogy alone cleared more than 1.12 billion dollars worldwide by Box Office Mojo counts, while “Gravity” reached about 723 million dollars globally in 2013.
That range is the point. The 1990s turn from “ER” to “From Dusk Till Dawn”, the commercial anxiety after “Batman & Robin”, the prestige sprint of “Out of Sight”, “Three Kings” and “O Brother, Where Art Thou?”, then the dual track of blockbuster ensembles and sober, director-driven pieces. The filmography reads like a map of modern Hollywood, and the destination is clear for any viewer asking what to watch first and why it still matters.
George Clooney filmography essentials: context, peaks, momentum
The main idea is simple. George Clooney blends star power with a director’s curiosity, which means the filmography solves two common viewing problems. There are smart entry points for new audiences and there are deep cuts for anyone who wants more than a glossy heist.
Look at the backbone roles that made the switch durable. “From Dusk Till Dawn” in 1996 turned the page from television. “Out of Sight” in 1998 paired George Clooney with director Steven Soderbergh and reset his screen persona with precision timing. “Ocean’s Eleven” in 2001 locked in global appeal, then “Michael Clayton” in 2007 and “Up in the Air” in 2009 showed he could carry contemporary adult drama without noise.
Awards data supports that arc. The Academy lists eight nominations across six different categories, with wins for “Syriana” and “Argo”. That cross-category spread covers acting, directing, writing and producing, which is rare by Oscars standards. The Hollywood Foreign Press Association credits George Clooney with four Golden Globe wins, including Best Actor for “The Descendants” in 2012 and Supporting Actor for “Syriana” in 2006.
From “ER” to movie star: George Clooney in the 1990s and early 2000s
The jump-off years are set. “From Dusk Till Dawn” arrived in 1996, followed by “One Fine Day” the same year, then “Batman & Robin” in 1997. Yes, that Batman. The course correction came fast with “Out of Sight” in 1998 and “Three Kings” in 1999, which cemented the cool under pressure template that later defined “Ocean’s Eleven” in 2001.
The “Ocean’s” numbers matter because they show staying power. “Ocean’s Eleven” earned roughly 450.7 million dollars worldwide, “Ocean’s Twelve” about 362.7 million dollars in 2004, and “Ocean’s Thirteen” near 311.3 million dollars in 2007, according to Box Office Mojo. That is a franchise that travels, one that also kept space for detours like “O Brother, Where Art Thou?” in 2000 and the corporate thriller “Michael Clayton” in 2007.
Behind the camera, the ambition arrived early. “Confessions of a Dangerous Mind” in 2002 marked the directing debut. “Good Night, and Good Luck.” in 2005 drew six Oscar nominations, the Academy record shows, including Best Director and Best Original Screenplay for George Clooney. The doubleshift continued with “The Ides of March” in 2011, which earned an Oscar nomination for Best Adapted Screenplay.
Awards and box office by the data: George Clooney in numbers
Numbers do not tell the entire story, yet they settle the scale. The Oscars database records eight nominations and two wins across acting, directing, writing and producing. The Golden Globes list four wins, which underlines breadth rather than a single lane.
On the commercial side, a few figures anchor the filmography. “Gravity” reached about 723 million dollars worldwide in 2013, noted by Box Office Mojo, while the “Ocean’s” trilogy passed 1.12 billion dollars combined. “Up in the Air” posted approximately 166.8 million dollars worldwide in 2009. “Syriana” closed near 94 million dollars worldwide in 2005. These are different audiences, same actor, consistent results.
The blend of franchise visibility and award-season credibility explains why George Clooney still headlines and still directs. It also explains the long shelf life of the watchlist below, definitly not just for completists.
Where to start if you want the essence in five films :
- “Out of Sight” (1998) actor, crime romance with Steven Soderbergh
- “Ocean’s Eleven” (2001) actor, ensemble heist with global reach
- “Syriana” (2005) supporting actor Oscar win
- “Michael Clayton” (2007) actor, corporate thriller benchmark
- “Good Night, and Good Luck.” (2005) director and co-writer, six Oscar nominations
Directing and producing: George Clooney behind the camera
The middle part of the career widens into directing and producing with a clear throughline. Journalism in “Good Night, and Good Luck.”, politics in “The Ides of March”, real events dramatized in “The Tender Bar” in 2021 and “The Boys in the Boat” in 2023. The subjects shift, the craft stays measured, and the roles move between behind-the-scenes power and occasional on-screen cameos.
One example shows how the pieces fit. “Argo” in 2012, produced with Grant Heslov and Ben Affleck, won Best Picture at the 2013 Oscars, per the Academy. That win capped a decade where box office hits like the “Ocean’s” films ran parallel to issue-driven projects. The same pattern followed with “Money Monster” in 2016, directed by Jodie Foster, where George Clooney returned on screen while keeping the producing lane active.
The logic for viewers is straightforward. Start with the five-film core to grasp the voice, then branch into directing projects to see the themes under the surface. Add a high-grossing spectacle like “Gravity” for contrast. That mix captures what the filmography really offers, which is range that feels earned by dates, awards and results listed by the Academy, the HFPA and Box Office Mojo.