George Clooney, prankster coverboy

By M&C People Mar 18, 2008, 2:58 GMT

George Clooney EPA/ANDREW GOMBERT

George Clooney talked about his upcoming football film Leatherheads, his TIME magazine cover and his friend Tom Cruise. 

Clooney revealed to Extra that he’s passionate about directing: “It’s infinitely more rewarding, directing than is acting…I love acting. It’s a great job. It’s my main way I make my living, but I really do enjoy directing.”

Clooney is known for his on set antics, about a prank he attempted to play on co-star John Krasinski, he says, “I did try to talk him into the idea that we were all going to wear top hats and tails for the premiere because I just wanted to see him show up in a top hat and tails. But he didn’t bite, so I have to try a new one.”

As for gracing the cover of TIME magazine as “The Last Movie Star,” Clooney says, “For the other 40 great movie stars that I ran into that night at the Oscars®, that was good fun. I look over to Jack Nicholson and he’s like, ‘Hey man, the last great movie star, huh?’ I went, ‘I know, I know. Sorry.’ It was embarrassing.”

About good friend Tom Cruise, Clooney comments, “I’ve known him for a long time. I like him very much. He’s a good guy. I said, ‘How are you holding up?’ He had gone through a couple of  bouts of people [the media] being tough on him. I didn’t give him advice. We were just talking and I was saying always best to beat them to the punch. Make fun of yourself…He is one of the great all time movie stars so he’s a bigger target in general…”

More with George Clooney, tune in to “Extra.”  For all the latest celebrity news, log on here.