George Clooney’s well-known feud with director David O. Russell continues to burn strong, nearly a quarter of a century after their notorious clash on the set of 1999’s “Three Kings”. Speaking to GQ UK alongside his “Wolfs” co-star Brad Pitt, Clooney was emphatic that no project could justify working with a “miserable fuck like David O. Russell.” Any hopes for a “Three Kings” reunion are now categorically off the table.
The older you get, time allotment is very different. Five months out of your life is a lot,
Clooney explained. And so it’s not just like, ‘Oh, I’m going to go do a really good film, like ‘Three Kings,’ and I’m going to have a miserable fuck like David O. Russell making my life hell. Making every person in the crew’s life hell.’ It’s not worth it. Not at this point in my life. Just to have a good product.
Clooney and Russell’s Infamous Altercation
Clooney infamously got into a physical altercation after Russell allegedly berated extras on set. In a 2000 interview with Playboy, Clooney called the “Three Kings” production “the worst experience of my life.”
In 2012, he told The Hollywood Reporter about an attempt to bury the hatchet: I saw David a few weeks ago at a party… and I felt compelled to go over and go, ‘So, are we done?’ And he goes, ‘Please’. And I said, ‘OK’. We made a really, really great film and we had a really tough time together, but it’s a case of us both getting older. I really do appreciate the work he continues to do, and I think he appreciates what I’m trying to do.
Not an Isolated Incident
Clooney’s clash with Russell isn’t an isolated incident by any means. The director’s tirades on the set of “I Heart Huckabees” are well-documented and widely circulated. One of the most infamous moments features Russell verbally abusing Lily Tomlin in an almost comic display of rage:
The fight was melodramatic from start to finish. It started with Tomlin commenting sarcastically about Russell’s direction: We’re not all as brilliant as you.
. What followed was a sequence of Russell sweeping papers off Tomlin’s desk, kicking a trash can, tossing around objects, and storming out only to return still fuming.
A Track Record of Controversy
Margot Robbie, during her promotion of Russell’s “Amsterdam,” shared insights into his unorthodox directing methods. Robbie disclosed that Russell regularly refused to call “cut,” consequently extending work hours for the crew beyond the planned schedule.
Joe Carnahan, who directed “Smokin’ Aces”, has also commented on Russell’s forceful directing style: He has his own unique bearing; you’ve got to know that going in.
The constant theme across anecdotes from people who’ve worked with him seems clear: while some may appreciate his cinematic vision, they often find themselves at odds with his contentious and intense methods.
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