George Clooney Confirms He Is Feeling ‘Hopeful’ About the Presidential Election
George Clooney has been cited as an influence over President Joe Biden‘s decision to step down from the 2024 presidential campaign following the actor’s much-read op-ed in The New York Times. In the piece, the actor wrote that while he loves President Biden as a person and politician, “the one battle he cannot win is the fight against time.”
Since then Clooney praised Biden for deciding to step down, calling the decision “selfless” during an appearance at the Venice International Film Festival. Last night at the premiere of his new film Wolfs, Clooney was asked how he’s feeling about the election, which pits Kamala Harris against Donald Trump, now.
“I’m feeling very hopeful,” Clooney told Variety on the premiere’s red carpet. Brad Pitt, his co-star in the film, confirmed that he too is “feeling hopeful.”
“Momentum is a big deal,” Clooney added of the election possibilities. “So I’m feeling hopeful.”
On July 10, Clooney became one of the most high-profile celebrities and Democrats to call on Biden to end his campaign when his op-ed published in the New York Times. “We are not going to win in November with this president,” the actor wrote at the time. “On top of that, we won’t win the House, and we’re going to lose the Senate. This isn’t only my opinion; this is the opinion of every senator and Congress member and governor that I’ve spoken with in private.”
Clooney — who just three weeks earlier had hosted a Biden fundraiser, an event that left many attendees with the impression that Biden was in decline, as Rolling Stone reported — added in his op-ed, “This is about age. Nothing more.”
Eleven days later, on July 21, Biden dropped out of the presidential race and backed Harris, who Clooney subsequently also endorsed.
In Wolfs, out Sept. 27 on Apple TV+, Clooney and Pitt played dueling fixers. The movie, from director Jon Watts, marks the actors’ first time back onscreen together since 2008’s Burn After Reading (Ocean’s Thirteen arrived in 2007).
Last year, Clooney told Deadline that there are already conversations about a Wolfs sequel. “It was a great shoot, and Jon is an extraordinarily talented guy who’s also really joyful,” Clooney said. “He loves what he does. We had a blast doing it and we’ve seen it. It’s an off the charts great film and it’s fun to work with Brad again. We had a really good time.”