George Clooney is one of the most affable actors in Hollywood. He's generally well regarded and well liked by his collaborators. There are few people, however, that bring out the vitriol in the Oscar winner. There are a few names that make Clooney fighting made, and in the case of director David O. Russell, that's not hyperbole.
Clooney made it clear that he wants nothing to do with Russell during a new GQ UK profile. When asked about the Silver Linings Playbook director, Clooney was crystal clear: life is too short to deal with people like him. "The older you get, time allotment is very different," he noted. "Five months out of your life is a lot," especially when it's with a "miserable f**k like David O. Russell."
Clooney hasn't worked with Russell in over two decades
Tell us how you really feel, George. Clooney and Russell have not worked together in the 21st century, so the specifics of what went wrong, and just how wrong it went, might be a little hazy for fans. It all stems from Three Kings, the acclaimed 1999 drama in which Russell directed and Clooney starred.
The film was considered a critical and commercial breakthrough for both men, but it came at the cost of having any semblance of fun on the set. Clooney described David O. Russell as a tyrant during the making of Three Kings, to the extent that things got physical between them.
The actor attacked Russell on the set of Three Kings
"He yelled and screamed at people all day, from day one, me often and at someone daily," the actor told Playboy in 2000. He then relayed an anecdote in which the director told an extra to shove Clooney's character to the ground. The extra was hesitant, and Russell proceeded to shove him to the ground out of frustration. Clooney snapped:
" I had him by the throat. I was going to kill him. Kill him. Finally, he apologized, but I walked away."
Clooney vowed to never work with Russell again, and he's made good on his word. The two men have had successful careers in the decade since, but unsurprisingly, given Russell's behavior on set, he's been accused of heinous acts by other actors and even family members. Like Clooney told GQ UK, life's too short for such a headache.