Hollywood icon George Clooney has praised U.S. President Joe Biden for his decision to withdraw from the 2024 presidential race. Clooney, who attended a press event in Venice for his upcoming film Wolfs, expressed admiration for Biden’s move to pass the leadership baton to current Vice President Kamala Harris, according to a report by Variety.
“I’ve never had to answer that question before, so I’ll address it here. The person who deserves applause is President Biden, who has done one of the most selfless acts a President has done since George Washington,” Clooney remarked.
He continued, “Letting go of power is hard – we’ve seen that across the world. For Biden to say there’s a better path forward, all the credit goes to him. I’m just very proud of where we are as a country right now.”
Clooney also weighed in on industry changes during the event, addressing Apple’s decision to move his film from a wide theatrical release to a more limited one. He referenced a recent New York Times report that claimed he and Brad Pitt were paid over $35 million each for their roles.
“The amount was significantly less than what was reported,” Clooney clarified. “I think it’s harmful to the industry to set that kind of standard.”
Regarding the evolving landscape of cinema, Clooney emphasized the necessity of streaming services for the industry’s survival. “We need it. Our industry needs this. Streamers also benefit from having films released. But we’re still figuring things out. This is a revolution in our industry. We need companies like Apple and Amazon, and they, in turn, need traditional distributors like Sony and Warner Bros., who have been doing this for a century,” he added.
