George Clooney Says Working With Director David O. Russell Was ‘Hell’ & ‘Miserable Experience’

George Clooney has once again voiced his disdain for working with director David O. Russell, reigniting a long-standing feud that dates back to their collaboration on the 1999 film Three Kings.

In a recent joint interview with Brad Pitt for GQ, Clooney brought up the topic unprompted while discussing time management in his career. The 62-year-old actor emphasized that spending five months on a project is significant at his age, especially if it involves working with someone like Russell.

“It’s not just about doing a good film,” Clooney said. “It’s about avoiding a miserable experience with someone making everyone’s life hell on set.”

This latest criticism adds to a history of public statements Clooney has made about Russell’s alleged behavior. Over the years, the actor has witnessed the director’s aggressive conduct, including claims of physical altercations with crew members and other industry figures.

Clooney’s comments have evolved from initial restraint during the Three Kings production to more pointed criticisms in subsequent years. He has previously detailed an alleged physical confrontation with Russell on set, which the director has not publicly addressed.

The actor’s remarks come amid broader discussions about on-set conduct in Hollywood. Other actors, including Amy Adams, have discussed the challenging experiences of working with Russell.

Despite a brief moment of reconciliation reported in 2012, Clooney’s recent statements suggest the rift remains unresolved. “It’s not worth it at this point in my life,” he said, referring to working under challenging conditions for a good product.

The actor also didn’t shy away from addressing other tensions in his career, responding to recent criticism from director Quentin Tarantino. Clooney dismissed the remarks, saying, “Quentin said some stuff about me recently, so I’m a little irritated by him… I’m like, all right, dude, f— off.”

The Ocean’s Eleven star also addressed his brief return to the role of Batman in the upcoming film The Flash, humorously ruling out any possibility of reprising the character in a full feature again.

Clooney was recently in the news for calling for the president to drop out of the November election just weeks after hosting a huge Hollywood fundraiser for him.