HOLLYWOOD heavyweight George Clooney has spoken about tracing his Irish roots and how a week-long visit to Ireland left him feeling like he had to wash his liver out.
He was speaking to RTÉ to promote his new sporting biopic, The Boys in the Boat, which tells the story of a US rowing team’s journey to the 1936 Berlin Olympics.
Directed by Clooney, the film stars Callum Turner as rower Joe Rantz – a working class student at Washington University who is abandoned by his family and thrown a lifeline by his rowing team.
Speaking to presenter Mirian O’Callaghan, Clooney and Turner said the underdog element to the story as well as the backdrop of the 1936 Olympics in Nazi Germany made the story irresistible.
“We all know now had bad the nazis were and how bad Hitler was, there were hints of it (at the time,)” said Clooney.
“No one knew where that was going to go and you can’t play that in 1936.”
Twenty years after making The Perfect Storm, Clooney said he had forgotten the “misery” of what it’s like to make a film set on water.
“It was complicated, but you just have to get it right once which is basically what we did.”
On his Irish connections, Clooney said his ancestors had left Ireland during the potato famine including his great, great grandfather from Kilkenny.
“I went and visited, I saw a bunch of Clooneys…the minute you get there you start to see all these people who look like all of your family.”
Asked if he planned to come back and trace more of his family, he said: “Of course, I had to leave and wash my liver out after my week in Ireland, it almost killed me. I love it there.”
With no plans to return to Ireland this year, he said he was hopeful he could bring his two young children for another holiday before long.
“We took my kids there but they were two when we went, so they’re six now and I’d like them to go back and see it when they can understand what all my family members are saying.”
Also speaking to the programme was Australian actor Joel Edgerton, who plays coach Al Ulbrickson Sr.
“I’ve played many team sports and I understand that the best coaches are like tough dads,” he said.
“They really don’t spend a lot of time complimenting their team, they’re always pointing out what’s wrong, which seems like the most efficient way to get something done better.”
Describing the experience of working with Clooney as a director, he said: “He’s a lot of fun, he’s one of the most efficient directors I’ve ever worked with.
“He really understands…he’s not doubting himself by trying to invent shots. He’s very clear about what he wants and then he also understands about what he needs from actors without being overly prescriptive which was great.
