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George Clooney on Turning 50: I'm Now a Character Actor

By April MacIntyre Sep 23, 2011, 14:56 GMT

George Clooney - Milan Fashion Week Womenswear Spring/Summer 2011 - Roberto Cavalli - Front Row and Runway - Milan - Milan, Italy © Insidefoto / PR Photos

George Clooney is now 50, and is the cover story coming up in this weekend’s issue of Parade.

Political analyst David Gergen interviewed the actor at his Italian villa about turning 50, dealing with failure, his philanthropy work in South Sudan and more. Here are some interview highlights:

On continuing his public life and maintaining privacy at the same time...

George C: "I don't tweet, I don't go on Facebook. I think there's too much information about all of us out there. I'm liking the idea of privacy more and more. There will be funny things, like I'll read something I've said about a woman somewhere. And I haven't spoken about my relationships in 15 years."

On turning the big 5-0 and what it means to his career...

George C: "I look at myself on-screen and go, 'I don't look like I did when I was 40--I know that.' The people I've respected most in the industry over the years — Paul Newman, for instance. I just loved the way he handled growing old on-screen. It's understanding that you're now basically a character actor. 

"I find that as you get older, you start to simplify things in general. By the time you get a subscription to AARP, which I just got, you have some idea of who your friends are, at least. [Getting the AARP subscription] shocked me--'Are you kidding?' [laughs] I told them they should do 'The Sexiest Man Still Alive.'

On his latest film, The Ides of March, where he plays an inspirational presidential candidate...

George C: "We were in preproduction on this film in 2007, before the Obama election. And then we realized that a good portion of the country was elated with what happened in that election, so we had to shelve the movie until people were cynical again. I didn't think it would be quite this quick. [laughs]"

Be sure to read some exclusive extras on Parade.com, where Clooney reveals his top prank of all time AND find out what prank buddies Brad Pitt and Matt Damon used to pull on him:

On his favorite films

George C: "I'm a product of the '70s filmmakers. I grew up with that. I believe from, like, 1964 to 1976 was the greatest time in filmmaking by far. That was the era that I was watching movies the most. I gave all my friends for Christmas 100 films between 1964 and '76. Dr. Strangelove, All the President's Men, Bonnie and Clyde—movies that were really changing the face of filmmaking."