George Clooney Says His First Job Is To "Defend People With Less Power," Acting Is Secondary

George Clooney stood firm about his political opinions while being honored with Film at Lincoln Center’s 51st annual Chaplin Award in New York on April 27, 2026. The 64-year-old actor said he doesn't worry about the bad press that comes along with him voicing his opinions, and it's important for people to "stick their neck out and stand up for things they believe in." Clooney has been a lifelong activist, having famously been arrested along with his father Nick in 2012 over a demonstration outside the Embassy of Sudan in Washington to call for a stop to the violence in Sudan. At the Chaplin Award Gala, Clooney was honored for his numerous contributions to film and television, including his roles in “ER," “Syriana,” “O Brother Where Art Thou,” “Up in the Air” and the “Oceans” trilogy.