February 17, 2011
By Staff Reporter
“When we decided to do it three years ago, it was a tough time, if you remember, politically,” the former “ER” doc told reporters in New York recently. “Anybody who raised any questions at all was kind of seen as unpatriotic at that point. Obviously, when you’ve seen the film, it’s not an attack on the current administration at all; it’s certainly questioning 30, 40, 50 years of flawed policy in the Middle East, which I think everyone agrees with.”
Clooney’s efforts have paid off. Tuesday’s Oscar nominations gifted “Syriana” with a nom for best original screenplay and one for Clooney in the film as best supporting actor. As if that’s not enough, he is also nominated as best director and best original screenplay for “Good Night, and Good Luck,” which is also up for best picture.
Written and directed by Oscar-winning “Traffic” scribe Stephen Gaghan and executive produced by that film’s director Stephen Soderbergh, as well as Clooney, “Syriana” co-stars Chris Cooper, Matt Damon, Kayvan Novak, Amanda Peet, Christopher Plummer, Alexander Siddig and Jeffrey Wright.
While much of the film was shot in the United States, many scenes were filmed abroad, with some done in Morocco and Dubai during the Muslim high holy days of Ramadan.
In the film, Clooney plays Bob Barnes, a veteran CIA agent whose last assignment for “the company” goes horribly awry.
“My job was to know as much as I could, so I wouldn’t marginalize the piece,” the actor explained, revealing he spent considerable time with Bob Baer, the former CIA agent who was the inspiration for his character.
Although the role required the usually fit Clooney to pack on 30 pounds and grow a bushy beard, seriously threatening his “Sexiest Man Alive” title, it has also earned the actor a Golden Globe for best supporting actor.
“The most depressing thing in the world is that I found out I could put 30 pounds on in 30 days,” laughed Clooney, who is now back to his tan, thin self. “I went to Italy. I finished ‘Ocean’s Twelve’ on Aug. 6 (2004) and I had about 30 days before I started the other film, so I had to eat as fast and as hard as I could. It’s not nearly as much fun as it sounds. Getting it off took a lot longer.”
“Syriana” is in theaters now.