Quentin Tarantino and George Clooney are both names the majority of the public immediately recognize. The former is a famous director who brought us the likes of Pulp Fiction (1994) and Once Upon a Time in Hollywood (2019), while the latter has starred in a slew of films, from the Ocean‘s franchise to The Ides of March (2011).
They actually teamed up together for a movie, 1996’s From Dusk Till Dawn, and while they may have been friends back then, it appears they’re not too close anymore. How do we know? Tarantino’s blunt statement on the state of Clooney’s career.
Working together on From Dusk Till Dawn (1996)
Written and co-starring Quentin Tarantino, From Dusk Till Dawn was the first time the famed director teamed up with George Clooney on a project. The pair portrayed Richard and Seth Gecko, criminal brothers who aim to cross the American border into Mexico by holding a family of three hostage. However, they wind up in a saloon known for being a popular vampire haunt.
While it, today, has a cult following, From Dusk Till Dawn received mixed reviews, with critics, while impressed with the script, conflicted over how violent several of the scenes are – it’s so violent, in fact, that it was originally banned in Ireland. Despite this, the film went on to gross $59.3 million at the box office, earning $40 million over its budget.
George Clooney and Quentin Tarantino once respected each other
While promoting From Dusk Till Dawn, George Clooney and Quentin Tarantino appeared to be friendly with one other, with the former discussing how close they were in an interview. “Quentin and I got along really well,” he explained. “We both have the same kind of nervous energy, you know, I’m always like this [fidgeting] and he’s always like, ‘You know, yeah, like this guy, man, like, whoa!'”
At the time, Tarantino appeared to feel the same way, telling the press that Clooney was more than just a friend – he was also a mentor, of sorts. “I just completely trusted George to lead me there, and wherever he would go, I would follow,” the filmmaker said.
He went on, “George just kind of took care of me throughout the whole movie, the way Seth takes care of Richie, and it was very sweet, and it was very wonderful, and it paid off in tremendous dividends I think, for my opinion, as far as what we did together.”
Implying George Clooney isn’t a movie star
In a 2023 interview with Deadline‘s Baz Bambigboye, Quentin Tarantino threw shade at his former co-star, signalling something might not be right regarding their friendship. When discussing actors who’d transitioned into movie stars, the director threw out the names you’d expect – Leonardo DiCaprio, Denzel Washington, Brad Pitt and Harrison Ford – but when asked if his pal George Clooney could be considered one, Tarantino scoffed.
“Well, it’s been a long while since I think George Clooney has drawn anybody to an audience,” he said. “When was the last time that he had a hit in this millennium?” When faced with Bambigoye’s reaction of surprise, he questioned, “Well, I’m asking you, when was his last hit where he drew an audience?”
George Clooney has some strong words for Quentin Tarantino
In an August 2024 feature in GQ, George Clooney, sitting with Brad Pitt, was asked about Quentin Tarantino’s comments to Deadline, and the actor’s response shows he didn’t appreciate the director’s critiques.
“Quentin said some [expletive] about me recently, so I’m a little irritated by him,” Clooney responded. “He did some interview where he was naming movie stars, and he was talking about you, and somebody else, and then this guy goes, ‘Well, what about George?’ He goes, he’s not a movie star.
“And then he literally said something like, ‘Name me a movie since the millennium.’ And I was like, ‘Since the millennium? That’s kind of my whole [expletive] career,'” the actor continued. “So now I’m like, all right, dude, [expletive] off. I don’t mind giving him [expletive]. He gave me [expletive].”
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Looks like these two won’t be on friendly terms anytime soon…