George Clooney ‘I'm Very Lucky To Be Doing What I Love!'

The actor-turned-director opens up about his four decades in showbiz

More than 40 years after landing his first acting job, George Clooney still feels incredibly fortunate to be working in Hollywood. “I [used to] cut tobacco for a living for three dollars and 33 cents an hour,” reveals the 59-year-old star.

These days, the award-winning actor and director has the pick of the litter when it comes to projects, like his new sci-fi film, The Midnight Sky (coming to Netflix in December).

Here, George – who shares three-year-old twins Ella and Alexander with his wife of six years, human rights lawyer Amal – talks about directing, his favorite films, and the role that got away...

Tell us about The Midnight Sky…

The guys at Netflix sent it over to me and I loved it. I knew how complicated the space stuff was going to be, but it also felt like a really intimate story about mankind and redemption.

You play a dying scientist facing the end of the world. How did you get into character?