Paul Newman’s Timeless Advice That Still Guides George Clooney

George Clooney has opened up about a pivotal moment from the late 1990s that deeply shaped the way he deals with fame today. In a recent interview, Clooney admitted that stepping out in public has always carried its own challenges. He shared that every time he goes out, it turns into an extra hour of interactions and conversations, something he initially struggled to balance at the height of his early success.

During those years, Clooney often stayed indoors to avoid the constant attention that came with being one of television’s most recognizable faces, thanks to his breakthrough role in ER. But an unexpected encounter with Hollywood legend Paul Newman helped shift his perspective entirely. The actor recalled the moment while reflecting on the early pressures of fame that made him withdraw more than he wanted to.

The story goes back to the Warner Bros. lot, where Clooney was filming ER. Newman was working on Message in a Bottle at the time. Clooney, driving a studio golf cart, spotted Newman and decided to stop to say hello. He approached casually, saying he just wanted to greet him, but Newman, cigarette in hand, didn’t recognize him at all. Clooney was still rising in popularity, and Newman had no idea who he was speaking to.

As they stood there talking, several people drove past, calling out “George!” repeatedly. Newman slowly realized that Clooney wasn’t just another actor on the lot—he was someone who had already become a familiar and widely recognized face in the industry. Bit by bit, Newman pieced together Clooney’s growing success.

Once Newman understood who he was talking to, he offered Clooney a piece of advice that stayed with him for decades: “George, don’t let them keep you at home.” Clooney immediately understood the meaning behind those words. Newman was referring to the tendency of actors to retreat from the public eye as fame increases, choosing isolation in an attempt to preserve privacy. Newman’s point was that isolating oneself would only make life smaller, not easier.

That moment hit Clooney with clarity. He realized that hiding indoors to avoid public attention wasn’t protecting him—it was limiting him. Newman’s advice encouraged him to remain engaged with the world instead of shrinking away from it. Clooney took that message forward, learning how to navigate fame without letting it confine him.

Although Clooney and Newman never had a close personal relationship, Newman had a profound impact on Clooney’s artistic journey. Clooney has long admired Newman’s work and openly admits that he borrowed from the actor’s style more than once, even joking that he “ripped off Paul Newman three or four times,” though admittedly “not as well.” He has always praised Newman’s performance in The Verdict, calling it one of the finest in film history. Newman passed away in 2008 at the age of 83, but his influence on Clooney remains strong to this day.

Clooney is currently busy promoting his latest film, Jay Kelly, which features Emily Mortimer, Billy Crudup, Riley Keough, Greta Gerwig, and Adam Sandler. The film has been released in select theaters and will become available for streaming on December 5. Even now, Clooney carries Newman’s words with him—a reminder to live fully, stay open to life, and not let fame close him off from the world.