"The Issues Guy": George Clooney's Journey from Film Star to Philanthropist

Using George Clooney as a case study, this paper explores the way in which philanthropic power - the power to speak on important social, political, and humanitarian issues - attaches itself to certain movie stars. Specifically, I look at how Clooney’s screen persona allows him to speak on issues ranging from Obama’s presidency to conflicts in Sudan. The paper is divided into two sections: the first explores the serious image that Clooney constructs through his work on politically-themed films such as Syriana (2005) and Good Night, and Good Luck (2005); while the second section explores the lovable rogue persona that is a product of his performances in high-grossing blockbusters like Ocean's Eleven (2001) and its two sequels. I argue that it is the combination of these two elements, in the overall persona of 'the issues guy', that allows Clooney to gain distinction within the crowded star-philanthropy marketplace. Indeed, these separate sides of his screen persona have enabled him to ward off two particularly troublesome frames: his work on serious issue pictures enables him to override the trivialization and marketization of celebrity philanthropy in the contemporary era; while his lovable rogue persona guards against accusations of left-liberal over-earnestness.