George Clooney made a self-deprecating joke while receiving a beloved Broadway honor on Thursday.
The 63-year-old actor returned to New York City to make his Broadway acting debut with the stage adaptation of his 2005 film Good Night, and Good Luck.
The stage show opened in previews in mid-March with its official premiere in early April, running through early June.
The actor – who recently paid Donald Trump a rare compliment – was honored on Thursday with his portrait put on display at the iconic Manhattan restaurant Sardi’s, a time-honored tradition for Broadway performers.
While accepting the honor and taking a first look at his portrait, he cracked a joke about his hair.
While his coif was darkened for his portrayal of Edward R. Murrow on stage, the portrait featured his typical grey hairstyle, which he seemingly prefers.
George Clooney made a self-deprecating joke while receiving a beloved Broadway honor on Thursday.
While accepting the honor and taking a first look at his portrait, he cracked a joke about his hair.
While his coif was darkened for his portrayal of Edward R. Murrow on stage, the portrait featured his typical grey hairstyle, which he seemingly prefers
‘I like the hair color. It’s much better than my hair color right now,’ Clooney joked while holding the portrait.
‘That’s better. It’s grey, mostly grey. There we are, thank you so much,’ the actor added at the restaurant.
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When it came time to sign the portrait, he joked about signing as his longtime friend Brad Pitt.
Clooney co-wrote (with his producing and writing partner Grant Heslov), directed, produced and starred in 2005’s Good Night, and Good Luck.
The film portrayed the conflict between legendary newsman Edward R. Murrow (David Strathairn) and the Red Scare propagated by Wisconsin Senator Joseph McCarthy, with Clooney playing producer Fred W. Friendly.
The film earned $54.6 million from just a $7 million budget and was nominated for six Oscars including Best Picture, Best Actor (Strathairn) and Best Director (Clooney).
Clooney and Heslov returned to write the stage adaptation, with Clooney now portraying Murrow himself in his Broadway stage debut.
When asked by CBS why he didn’t play Murrow in the original film, Clooney replied, ‘Murrow had a gravitas to him that at 42 years old I didn’t– I wasn’t able to pull off.’
‘I like the hair color. It’s much better than my hair color right now,’ Clooney joked while holding the portrait
‘That’s better. It’s grey, mostly grey. There we are, thank you so much,’ the actor added at the restaurant
When it came time to sign the portrait, he joked about signing as his longtime friend Brad Pitt.
Clooney and Heslov created the original film as a response to the U.S. war in Iraq, and they revived this story to hold up a mirror to Donald Trump.
‘You know, I just thought it was a good time to talk about when the press held government to account,’ Clooney said.
Heslov added, ‘Originally it wasn’t for today, today. But it’s–this is a story that stands the test of time. I think it’s a story that you can keep telling over and over. I don’t think it will ever– thematically get old.’
Clooney added, ‘Journalism and telling truth to power has to be waged like war is waged. It doesn’t just happen accidentally. You know, it takes people saying, we’re gonna do these stories and you’re gonna have to come after us. And that’s the way it is.’
