Clooney Stiff Arms WGA Over ‘Leatherheads’
George Clooney thinks he deserves a writing credit for his new film Leatherheads, but last fall the WGA disagreed, voting 2-1 against the actor, UN peace envoy and cure for cancer. In response Clooney voted 1-0 to go “financial core” which means he’s still a member, pays reduced dues, still receives health and pension coverage, but can’t vote on contracts or in guild elections. According to Variety, Clooney would’ve quit the guild altogether but this would’ve prevented him from working on WGA-covered projects.
With Leatherheads, Clooney took what is described as a project that had sat on the shelf for 17 years and he rewrote all but two scenes, turning it into a comedy in the process. Clooney felt the original writers Duncan Brantley and Rick Reilly deserved first position credit, but that he deserved to be recognized also. The guild didn’t see it that way, giving Brantley and Reilly full credit.
Once a guild member chooses to go financial core, the decision is irreversible.
Said Clooney: “When your own union doesn’t back what you’ve done, the only honorable thing to do is not participate.”
Filed under: News
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If Clooney radically altered the screenplay of Leatherheads even a fraction of what it appears he did then he certainly deserves to be credited along with the original duo of writers.
My film professor has so many horror stories as a WGA member back in the ’80s, it’s kind of sad.
“actor, UN peace envoy and cure for cancer. ” Haha, seems like it. Interesting to see if this bolsters or damages Clooney’s rep. I expect the former.
He shoulda just hit those guys upside the head with his bat-arang.
hahah Batarang.
Alexander, apparently the WGA rule is that if someone is a director of a film, they have to be responsible for 50% of the screenplay to also get a writer credit. Not being math wizards, the WGA probably figured each guy for 1/3 so Clooney was disqualified.
If you read the Variety article, it’s funny how much they go out of their way to portray him as a saint. Pointing out how he didn’t want this to get out during the strike, etc.
Hollywood loves them some Clooney.
Or they’re just terrified (and rightly so) of offending the cure for cancer.
For no apparent reason, this whole Clooney/WGA/cancer cure thing suddenly reminds me of one of my favorite lines from The Kids in the Hall’s Brain Candy:
“WE BEAT PENICILLIN!!”
Ahahahaha. I like how you managed to bring up Kids in the Hall AND made it a movie reference as well, thus remaining true to the LiC spirit.
Well done.
Plus it made me laugh.
WGA screws everyone out of credit. Clooney shouldn’t feel so much righteous indignation; it’s not like he’s standing up against McCarthy.
Pointless aside… did anyone catch him on The Daily Show last night? He looked a little emaciated, like he contracted Renee Zellweger’s anorexia, and his interview with Jon Stewart seemed a little awkward.
I think most screenplays end up like Children of Men, with at least six writers. I’m not sure how that script made it through WGA with that many writers attached.