George Clooney is a famous Hollywood superstar and a generous friend.
In 2013, he gave each of his 14 closest friends one million dollars (about 6.5 million yuan) to express his gratitude.
The story became a sensation in 2017 when it was revealed by his friend Rande Gerber. Recently, in an interview with GQ magazine, Clooney personally confirmed this legendary event for the first time and detailed the details.
Clooney recalled that he had just starred in a space thriller called "Gravity," and because the film was not expected to have a high box office receipt, he did not take a fixed salary, but a share of the film. As a result, "Gravity" unexpectedly became a hit, earning Clooney millions of dollars. At that time, he was not married and had no children, so he decided to give the money to his friends instead of saving it.
"I thought, without them, I wouldn't have all this." He told GQ, "We were all close, and I thought, basically if I get hit by a bus and die, they're all in my will." So why am I waiting to be hit by a bus and killed? ”
So Clooney drove a thrift truck emblazoned with the words "Florist" to a warehouse in downtown Los Angeles where "giant cash pallets" were stored, filled $14 million with 14 Tumi suitcases, and invited his friends to his home.
"I held up a map and pointed to all the places I've been and everything I've seen, all because of them." "I said, 'How are you going to repay someone like that?' I said, 'Oh, okay: how about a million dollars?' ’”
Clooney said it happened on September 27 or 28, 2013. Interestingly, "exactly one year later, September 27," September 27, 2014, "was the day I got married." That day, he and his lawyer, Amal Alamuddin, had a grand wedding in Italy.
Gerber was one of Clooney's first friends to reveal the story. In a 2017 interview with MSNBC's "Headliners," Gerber said, "George started saying, 'Listen, I want you to know what you mean to me and how important you are in my life. ’”
Gerber also revealed that Clooney not only gave everyone a million dollars, but also paid them taxes. He said Clooney told them: "I think you know, I love you so much, I wouldn't be here without you." I want you to take that money and put it in your child's name or do what you want. ”
Gerber said he turned down Clooney's gift at the time because he was already rich, but Crewey insisted: "If you don't take this suitcase, you're insulting our friendship." ”
Gerber later revealed in an interview with People magazine that he donated all the money Clooney gave him.
"I donated it." Gerber said, "I have enough money. I don't need that million dollars. We all have enough money. ”
Gerber said the money Clooney gave him and 13 other friends "changed our lives" and "changed the lives of a lot of people."
"We did a lot of good things with that money." "George did something very special to us and we wanted to pass it on as well," he said. ”
"George Clooney did a thing!", said Clooney's fifteenth friend.