Actor George Clooney will be honoured with the Golden Lion for Lifetime Achievement at the 2026 Venice Film Festival. The festival's artistic director praised him as a 'complete and charismatic artist.' Clooney called the award a 'tremendous honour.'
Actor George Clooney is set to be honoured with the Golden Lion for Lifetime Achievement at the Venice Film Festival 2026. The Venice Film Festival shared the announcement on its Instagram handle on Monday.
A 'Complete and Charismatic Artist'
While quoting Artistic Director Alberto Barbera, the film festival wrote, "Golden Lion for Lifetime Achievement of the 83rd Venice International Film Festival goes to the great American actor, director and producer George Clooney." They continued, "Artistic Director Alberto Barbera declared: "In his triple capacity as actor, director, and producer, George Clooney is a complete and charismatic artist, impassioned and original, who has transformed a deep vocation into one of the most luminous parabolas of contemporary film. [...] A perfect combination of the star glamour of days gone by, remarkable professionalism, and modern sensitivity, the actor has crossed the genres with rare versatility".
'A Tremendous Honour'
While accepting the award, the actor described the award as a "tremendous honour." George Clooney said, "I've had so many extraordinary moments in Venice. This Festival is without question my favourite and to be given the Golden Lion is a tremendous honour. It also probably means I'm old, but I'll take it". View this post on Instagram A post shared by La Biennale di Venezia (@labiennale)
Clooney's Decorated Career
Clooney has scored Academy Awards for best supporting actor for playing a veteran CIA officer in "Syriana" (2005) and as a producer alongside Ben Affleck and Grant Heslov on "Argo" which scored the Oscar for Best Motion Picture in 2012. Most recently, in 2025, Clooney earned a Tony Award nomination for his Broadway debut in the stage adaptation of "Good Night, and Good Luck" in which he starred as Edward R. Murrow. The show made Broadway history as the first live Broadway performance to be simultaneously televised on CNN to audiences across the world, reported Variety.
83rd Venice Film Festival Details
The 83rd edition of Venice will run September 2-12, with the festival's lineup being announced July 23. (ANI)
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