Clooney admits ‘stealing from every other director’

HE has made a fortune as one of Hollywood’s hottest stars, but yesterday George Clooney admitted stealing ideas and even doubting his own acting abilities.

Clooney, 44, is in Italy for the world premiere of his new film at the Venice Film Festival. His second movie as director, Good Night, and Good Luck, is shot in black-and-white and centres on the communist witch-hunt which took place in 1950s America.

The film features the real-life conflict between TV news pioneer Edward R Murrow, played by David Strathairn, and Senator Joseph McCarthy, played by himself in newsreel footage.

Yesterday, the newly single heart-throb told a packed press conference he enjoyed working behind the camera, saying “acting is, as I’ve proven time and time again, not my greatest forte ... balancing the two is interesting”.

Clooney said as a director he had “stolen from every other director”, and from documentary makers for this movie.

The film, which Clooney has wanted to make for years, also stars Robert Downey Jr, Patricia Clarkson and Jeff Daniels.