It’s easy to for celebrities to lose touch with reality. When you’re rich, successful, and have assistants taking care of all your needs, many stars stop being real people and lose their pre-fame relationships.
However, there are some celebrities who are genuine, down to earth, real people. They don’t let themselves get caught up in the absurdities of fame, and they stay with the people who’ve been with them since the beginning.
And I would know, because my best friend is George Clooney.
It’s true! While most people know George as an acclaimed actor/writer/director who’s appeared in movies such as "Gravity" and "Ocean’s Eleven," I know him as my closest friend and confidante. And unless George Clooney publicly denies it himself, there’s no way you can prove otherwise.
George and I met on the set of "Roseanne," which was his first big break. (He had a recurring role as Booker Brooks, while I played Roseanne.) We immediately bonded over our love of the sitcom "Roseanne," and after we filmed our first scene together, George put his hand on my shoulder and said, “Julian Axelrod, you are my best friend. And even though there are no recordings of this moment or witnesses to confirm that it happened, just know that you and I will be friends forever.”
From that point on, we were inseparable. From his breakout role on "ER" to his first marriage to his directorial debut, I have always provided George with sage council and emotional support when he needed it most. I was the one who said, “G-Money, you look great in your Batman suit, but it’s hiding your best feature: those sweet nips, bro!” George agreed, and two days later we finished sewing the iconic costume you see in "Batman & Robin."
And it’s not just a one-sided friendship: The Cloonmeister has always been there for me, despite his busy life as a Hollywood star. For example, when I missed my flight out of DC and needed a ride home back in 2008, George immediately jumped into action and filmed the movie "Up in the Air." And I’ll never forget what he told me when I was freaking out about my college applications: “Julian, I don’t know what school you should attend. But here’s what I do know: you are my best friend, and – barring any official statement from me in the near future – there is no evidence that conclusively proves otherwise.” He may have starred in "The Perfect Storm," but that day, George was the perfect friend <3.
Of course, G-Man isn’t just a world-famous actor and philanthropist. He’s an avid prankster, and as his best friend I’ve been the victim of more practical jokes than anyone! My favorite was when George didn’t take any pictures with me or publicly acknowledge our friendship for 25 straight years. LOL classic Cloonster!
(Here's George recalling a classic prank from our short time living together.)
You may not believe me when I say that George Clooney is my best friend, and that’s fine – you wouldn’t be the first. Plenty of George’s fake Hollywood “friends” (looking at you, Amal) have said that I wasn’t invited to his wedding, or claimed that he’s never acknowledged my existence, or pointed out that I wasn’t born when he appeared on "Roseanne." We don’t let it bother us – plenty of friendships don’t make sense from the outside.
But I’m not going to let those people keep me from publicly thanking George Clooney (my best friend) for always being there for me over the years. And, unless he explicitly denies our friendship in a statement released to major media outlets, I look forward to being his friend for many more years.
