George Clooney's friend and business partner, Rande Gerber, had shared back in 2017 that the big actor had once given to each of his 14 best friends $1 million in cash.
Clooney confirmed this in 2020 and explained his motivation behind his generous gesture in an interview with GQ magazine.
He said:
"Amal and I had just met, but we weren't dating at all. I was a single guy. All of us were aging. I was 52 or something. And most of my friends are older than me."
Although he was single, the actor was feeling fortunate to have such loyal friends at his age. He had said that his friends were always by his side, offering him help in various ways for 35 years.
He added:
"They helped me when I needed help over the years. And I've helped them over the years. We're all good friends. And I thought, you know, without them I don't have any of this. And we're all really close, and I just thought basically if I get hit by a bus, they're all in the will. So why the f**k am I waiting to get hit by a bus?"
Apparently, the actor had gotten a van and picked up $14 million in cash from a warehouse in LA that stored 'giant pallets' of money.
With the help of his security guards, Clooney stuffed the cash into 14 Tumi suitcases. He then invited his best friends to dinner at his house.
Clooney said:
"And I just held up a map and I just pointed to all the places I got to go in the world and all the things I've gotten to see because of them."
Gerber shared:
"George begins to say, 'Listen, I want you guys to know how much you've meant to me and how much you mean to me in my life. I came to LA, I slept on your couch. I'm so fortunate in my life to have all of you and I couldn't be where I am today without all of you. So, it was really important to me that while we're still all here together, that I give back. So I want you all to open your suitcases.'"
He added:
"One [friend] was working at a bar in Texas at the airport, trying just to support his family. Rides a bicycle to work every day. I mean, these are guys that took care of George and now he's giving it all back."
[Based on reporting by: Positive Outlooks]
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