George Clooney has shown himself time and time again to be a thoroughly decent guy, and the extent of his generosity has now been revealed.
Back in 2013, the Hollywood superstar reportedly gave 14 of his closest friends the exceedingly benevolent gift of $1 million (approximately £750,000) in cash.
These lucky individuals were apparently people who helped Clooney while he was still forging his career, offering him the support he needed to become one of the most instantly recognisable actors in the world.
Entertainment industry businessman Rande Gerber – who is close to Clooney – recalled the big-hearted gesture during an appearance on the MSNBC show Headliners, E! reports.
Here Gerber revealed how Clooney invited his companions back to his house, before telling them just how much they all meant to him:
There’s a group of guys that we call ‘The Boys’. George had called me and ‘The Boys’ and said, ‘Hey, mark September 27, 2013 on your calendar. Everyone’s going to come to my house for dinner.’
George begins to say, ‘Listen, I want you guys to know how much you’ve meant to me and how much you mean to me in my life. I came to Los Angeles, I slept on your couch.
I’m so fortunate in my life to have all of you and I couldn’t be where I am today without all of you.
So it was really important to me that while we’re still all here together, that I give back.
So I want you all to open your suitcases’.
Gerber expressed the shock the group of friends felt after each opening their respective suitcase:
Every one of us – 14 of us – got a million dollars. Every single one of us. We’re in shock. Like, what is this?
He goes, ‘I know we’ve all been through some hard times, some of you are still going through it.
You don’t have to worry about your kids, you don’t have to worry about, you know, school, you don’t have to worry about paying your mortgage’.
Gerber revealed how Clooney had even paid off his pals’ taxes for the year, stressing the significance of the gift for the lives of the friends:
One was working at a bar in Texas at the airport, trying just to support his family. Rides a bicycle to work every day.
I mean these are guys that took care of George and now he’s giving it all back. And George said, ‘Not only that, I have paid everyone’s taxes so this million dollars is yours.’
And it seems Clooney wasn’t prepared to take no for an answer. When Gerber refused to take the money, Clooney gave him no choice:
I pull him aside and said, ‘I absolutely am not taking this million dollars.’
Immediately George goes, ‘I’m just going to make one announcement. If Rande doesn’t take the million dollars, nobody gets it.’ … This is who George is!
George and Amal Clooney are estimated to have a joint fortune worth £121 million as of 2015, according to The Sunday Times Rich List.
This is now expected to have risen since then, on account of George Clooney’s successful business endeavours.
His tequila company Casamigos – which he founded alongside Rande – sold for nearly $1bn (about £750m) earlier this year.
Its always the good guys who remember who their true friends are. Lets hope we would all be as gracious as Clooney if we found ourselves to be in a similar situation.
Jules studied English Literature with Creative Writing at Lancaster University before earning her masters in International Relations at Leiden University in The Netherlands (Hoi!). She then trained as a journalist through News Associates in Manchester. Jules has previously worked as a mental health blogger, copywriter and freelancer for various publications.