3 Oscar nominations, but George Clooney isn’t in the clouds

George Clooney, nominated for 3 Oscars, says he is not averse to playing Chelsea coach Jose Mourinho.

19 February 2006
MUMBAI, INDIA

Believe it or not, Hollywood star George Clooney says he has least hopes of winning the Oscar this time, despite getting three nominations.

Clooney has been nominated for three Oscars, best Director for Good Night, and Good Luck, best supporting actor for Syriana and best original screen play for Good Night, and Good Luck. Good Night, Good Luck has bagged a cool six nominations for the 78th Annual Academy awards. The ceremony will be held on March 5.

Clooney faces giant odds in two categories as he takes on the likes of Steven Spielberg for Munich and Ang Lee for Brokeback Mountain, which has dominated the nominations. Other contenders for the best director are Bennet Miller for Capote and Paul Higgis for Crash.

Munich and Brokeback Mountain seem to be ahead in the race, but the Academy Awards are also known for the shock value, and hence Clooney can still hope against hope .

George Clooney has been nominated with Grant Heslov for the best original screenplay for the film Good Night, and Good Luck. The film deals with a witch hunt launched by Senator Joseph McCarthy for suspected Communists. A veteran CBS reporter and his friend takes on the Senator with a probe into the heinous tactics employed.

Paul Haggis & Bobby Moresco have been nominated for Crash, a moving account of the bitter racial and cultural tensions in the underbelly of Los Angeles, in the same category.

Woody Allen is another contender for Matchpoint, a story of a tennis professional’s career being jeopardized by the relationships he stumble upon.

Noah Baumbach’s The Squid and the Whale centres on the conflicts of kids of a broken marriage between two writers.

Clooney’s last competitor is Stephen Gaghan for Syriana, a stunning movie revolving around people caught in international conspiracies between corrupt regimes and oil cartels spread over Washington to the Middle East.

Incidentally, Clooney got his other nomination for his role in Syriana – best supporting actor. Clooney is Bob Barnes, a CIA agent caught in the quagmire of the conspiracy.

Matt Dillon is Clooney’s main rival. Dillon’s character racist cop Ryan in Crash is the actor’s first Oscar nomination.

Paul Giamatti’s role as boxing manager who tries to revive the fortunes of a fighter in Cindrella Man and Jake Gyllenhaal as the cowboy who falls in love with a man are the other contenders.

But Clooney is glad that he has been nominated, he told reporters on the sideline of the Oscar nominees’ luncheon at Beverly Hills.

The 44-year-old Hollyood star also recounted his slow but meteoric rise in the tinsel world and his struggles to cope up with fame and celebrity status.

"It doesn't feel like I'm going to win. I don't think I'm ever going to win," Clooney said,

Clooney had a period of initial struggle when he made pilot serials for around 15 TV sops which failed to find the light. He also had to do roles in various B-grade serials.

Clooney’s career dates back to 1980s sitcom “The Facts of Life”. The three oscar nominations he got this year are his first foray into the academy awards arena.

"It's really awesome. Who would have thought that after doing 'The Facts of Life' that this would have worked out like this? If you've survived a mullet, you can survive anything," the Hollywood star said.

The actor later said in Lisbon, Portugal, that he would not be averse to playing Chelsea’s Portuguese soccer coach Jose Mourinho. 

In an interview to Portuguese weekly news magazine Sabado, he said “It would be fun, although I have more grey hairs. But that can be solved".

After reports came in that producers are planning such a project, Mourinho, 43, himself suggested that Clooney would be the best bet for playing him.

In a poll conducted by the British Magazine New Woman early in February, Mourinho came 6th on the list of 100 sexiest men, while Clooney finished 11th. Brad Pitt was the top choice.