On which film did George Clooney work with David O. Russell? Actor blasts director for "making every person on the crew’s life hell"

In a GQ cover story with Brad Pitt on August 13, 2024, George Clooney criticized director David O. Russell for "making every person on the crew’s life hell." Reflecting on his career, Clooney, 63, said his priorities have shifted, and he now prefers working with people who enjoy their work. He emphasized that it’s not worth enduring a tough work environment just for a "good product."

George Clooney explained:

"Five months out of your life is a lot. And so it’s not just like, "Oh, I'm going to go do a really good film, like Three Kings, and I’m going to have a miserable f*ck like David O. Russell making my life hell. Making every person on the crew’s life hell."

George Clooney and David O. Russell teamed up for the 1999 war comedy Three Kings. The film centers around four U.S. soldiers on a gold heist during the 1991 uprising in Iraq against Saddam Hussein after the First Gulf War. Along with Clooney, it starred Mark Wahlberg, Ice Cube, and Spike Jonze in the lead. While the film garnered critical acclaim, it was infamous for the reported friction between the director and his lead during production.

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"He was vulnerable and selfish, and it would manifest itself in a lot of yelling"- George Clooney about working with David O. Russell

The production of Three Kings has been popular for on-set conflicts. In her book Rebels on the Backlot, Sharon Waxman explained that this was the first time in years that Warner Bros. financed a big-budget film for an indie filmmaker (then), David O. Russell. Owing to its political theme, executives were hesitant to work with an independent director and gave Russell a number of limitations, including cutting down the shoot to 68 days instead of the 80 he asked for.

Waxman explained that Russell's improvisational style of directing caused friction with the crew, who were used to a more organized set. She noted that David frequently used ideas as they came to him, asking for longer working hours. Additionally, he was prone to fits of rage, which increased tensions on set.

In his 2005 interview with Entertainment Weekly, George Clooney discussed working with Russell.

"There’s an element of David that was in way over his head, as brilliant as this film is. He was vulnerable and selfish, and it would manifest itself in a lot of yelling," Clooney said.

Things came to a head when Russell allegedly got physical with an extra (per Sharon, he was trying to show the actor how to throw Ice Cube's character on the ground). George Clooney was compelled to come to the actor's defense. Recalling the incident, Clooney told EW:

"It was a big-pressure day and he was under the gun. We were trying to get a shot and then he went berserk. He went nuts on an extra."

He continued:

"I said, 'You can’t do that.' And he basically said, 'F*ck you! Worry about your acting!' And I said, 'Now you’re being an *sshole!' And we started pushing against each other with our heads. So I got him by the throat. And I was yelling at him and he was screaming at me and we were at it."

At the time, Clooney asserted that he would never work with David, despite the latter's talent.

George Clooney and David O. Russell have since reconciled. In a 2014 interview with ShowBiz 411, the 63-year-old actor revealed they put the conflict behind them. Russell, for his part, is known to be aggressive on set. In a March 2016 interview with EW, Amy Adams revealed she was "devastated" working with him on American Hustle. This was in part due to the pay gap between her and her male co-stars but also due to seeing "other people treated badly."

Russell has not publicly reacted to the development.