George Clooney was once paid just $3 for Oscar-nominated movie

George Clooney was once the highest paid actor in the world, but you might be surprised to learn that he was paid just $3 (£2.66) for one of his most critically acclaimed flicks - someone got themselves a bargain there. 

While we’re all familiar with seeing Clooney on screen, he’s also a huge success behind the camera after having nabbed himself an Oscar for Argo, which he also produced.

And, alongside acting and producing, Clooney has also turned his talents to directing and screenwriting. 

Pictorial Press Ltd / Alamy Stock Photo

For his 2005 historical drama, Good Night, and Good Luck, he got to flex his writing, acting and directing skills, but rather than demand a sky-high wage, Clooney took just one dollar each for the three different roles. 

Good Night, and Good Luck, which also stars David Strathairn and Robert Downey Jr, is set in 1953 and centres on the real life story of radio and TV journalist Edward R. Murrow (played by Strathairn) who attempted to bring down the U.S. Senator Joseph McCarthy. You can see the trailer here: 

The flick cost just $7.5 million (£6,652,762) to make - with Clooney’s low pay probably helping to keep costs down. 

The Hollywood star had sustained an injury during filming for Syriana, meaning he was unable to pass tests to get himself insured. But Clooney was so keen to get Good Night, and Good Luck made that he even remortgaged his own home to raise the money. 

And his gamble more than paid off, as the film grossed more than $54 million (£4,791,339) worldwide, more than seven times the $7.5m it cost to make, not bad, eh? 

Good Night, and Good Luck wasn’t just a commercial success, it was loved by award panels - earning nominations for a whopping six Oscars, including Best Picture, Best Original Screenplay and Best Actor for star Strathairn, six BAFTAs, and five Golden Globes. 

Warner Independent Pictures

Critics were also bowled over the historical drama; it's got an impressive 93 percent on review aggregator Rotten Tomatoes, and a 83 percent audience score, while on IMDB it has a score of 7.4. 

Speaking in 2012, Clooney told the Los Angeles Times the driving force behind the movie was anger. 

"Good Night, and Good Luck I wrote because I was mad because I was being called a traitor to my country because I said we should ask questions before we send people to war, and I found a way to express that in film,” he said. 

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Topics: Film and TV, Celebrity

Claire Reid

Claire is a journalist at UNILAD who, after dossing around for a few years, went to Liverpool John Moores University. She graduated with a degree in Journalism and a whole load of debt. When not writing words in exchange for money she is usually at home watching serial killer documentaries surrounded by cats.