Why George Clooney hasn't taken a leading role in over a year

The actor seemed to announce his retirement as a leading man.

ByABC News
November 6, 2017, 10:54 AM

— -- If you look at George Clooney's IMDB page, the Oscar-winning actor hasn't taken a leading role since "Money Monster" in May of last year.

In a new interview with The Sunday Times, he explains why he's limiting his on-air screen time.

PHOTO: George Clooney appears as Doctor Doug Ross on an episode of "ER."
George Clooney appears as Doctor Doug Ross on an episode of "ER."

"I acted for a long time and, you know, I’m 56. I’m not the guy that gets the girl anymore,” he said, adding, "I shouldn’t be the guy that gets the girl.”

This doesn't mean he won't consider amazing roles. He was also very honest about his current financial state.

"If somebody’s got Paul Newman in 'The Verdict,' I’d jump," he said of the 1982 film that earned Newman an Oscar for best actor. "But there aren’t that many like that. Acting used to be how I paid the rent, but I sold a tequila company for a billion f---- dollars. I don’t need money.”

Clooney was referring to Casamigos, the tequila company he founded with Rande Gerber, which sold last June to British company Diageo for $1 billion.

Tag a friend who always has your back. #HouseOfFriends #ThursdayThoughts pic.twitter.com/nC2Ue46ppp

— Casamigos Tequila (@Casamigos) September 14, 2017

"If you asked us four years ago if we had a billion-dollar company, I don’t think we would have said yes," Clooney said in a statement to ABC News this summer. "This reflects Diageo’s belief in our company and our belief in Diageo."

Instead of starring in films, Clooney directed the upcoming movie "Suburbicon" and worked as a producer on "Ocean's Eight" and "Argo."

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\"If you asked us four years ago if we had a billion-dollar company, I don’t think we would have said yes,\" Clooney said in a statement to ABC News this summer. \"This reflects Diageo’s belief in our company and our belief in Diageo.\"

Instead of starring in films, Clooney directed the upcoming movie \"Suburbicon\" and worked as a producer on \"Ocean's Eight\" and \"Argo.\"

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