American actor George Clooney, 65, will be awarded the Golden Lion for lifetime achievement at the 83rd Venice Film Festival, to be held September 2–12, 2026, the festival organizers announced Monday in a statement.
Upon accepting the award, Clooney (1961) said, “I’ve had so many extraordinary moments in Venice. The Venice Film Festival is without a doubt my favorite festival, and receiving the Golden Lion is an immense honor. It probably also means I’m getting older, but that’s okay.”
Meanwhile, the festival director, Alberto Barbera, stated that “in his triple role as actor, director, and producer, George Clooney is a well-rounded and charismatic artist—passionate and original—who has transformed a deep calling into one of the most luminous parables of contemporary cinema.”
“A career that began without any shortcuts, thanks to small roles in television series and B movies, leading up to the great success he achieved as the lead in the series ‘ER’ (‘Urgencias’), have shaped an actor capable of commanding the screen with captivating naturalness, granting him the gift of making his characters seem not only believable but also likable, relatable, and human—thanks, too, to his undeniable charm,” he added.
Barbera also highlighted the “perfect combination of old-school star glamour, great professionalism, and modern sensibility” and her “versatility.”
“In each of these films, he has adapted his style without ever betraying himself: ironic and melancholic, fascinating and reflective, brilliant and capable of unexpected depth. Just as in the nine films he made after deciding to step behind the camera, they reveal a demanding yet generous vision of cinema,” he added.
The Venice Film Festival also noted that Clooney “has been recognized both for his humanitarian work around the world and for his achievements in the entertainment industry.”
Highlights of Clooney’s career as an actor and director include his two Oscars, four Golden Globes (including the Cecil B. DeMille Award), four SAG Awards, one BAFTA Award, two Critics’ Choice Awards, one Emmy, four National Board of Review Awards, and the American Film Institute’s Lifetime Achievement Award.
When Clooney received his eighth Oscar nomination in 2013, he earned a special place in the Academy’s history, having been nominated in more categories than anyone else in the history of the awards.
More recently, Clooney received a Tony Award nomination for his Broadway debut in “Good Night, and Good Luck,” in which he played Edward R. Murrow in the stage adaptation of his 2005 Oscar-nominated film, which he co-wrote with Grant Heslov.
It made history as the first Broadway show to be broadcast simultaneously on television: the show aired on CNN for audiences around the world.