George Clooney’s Good Night, and Good Luck Is a Passion Project Rooted in Family Legacy

When George Clooney directed Good Night, and Good Luck in 2005, it was much more than just another film—it was a deeply personal endeavor. Set in the 1950s, the movie tells the story of the conflict between CBS news anchor Edward R. Murrow and Senator Joseph McCarthy during the Red Scare, but for Clooney, it was also an homage to the values of journalism and a tribute to his own family’s history in the media.

Clooney’s father, Nick Clooney, was a well-respected TV journalist in Cincinnati and elsewhere, and young George was surrounded by conversations about the importance of the press. “I grew up in a household where my father was a newsman, so I have a deep respect for the role of journalism in society,” Clooney said in an interview with The New York Times in 2005. “This film was an opportunity to explore those values, not just as a story about history, but as a reflection of what makes journalism vital.” Clooney told Charlie Rose in 2005 that his father would stand on a chair and recite Murrow's famous "Wires and Lights in a Box" speech, which made the case that mass communication should be used as an effective tool "against ignorance, intolerance and indifference." The speech was highlighted in Good Night, and Good Luck.

In order to preserve the film’s creative integrity, Clooney took a significant personal financial risk. He chose to take a pay cut (he was reportedly paid three dollars—one each for acting, writing and directing) and even mortgaged his own home to finance the project. "I didn’t want to make a film that would get compromised by studio executives, so I decided to finance it myself,” he explained. “It was a risk, but it felt like the right thing to do... Twenty years from now, you want to be able to say to people that you stood for something besides your own career."

Now, 20 years later, Clooney is set to make his Broadway debut playing Murrow, the iconic newscaster, who was portrayed by David Strathairn in the film. (Clooney’s movie role was Fred Friendly, Murrow's producer and right-hand man.) Clooney, who co-wrote both the film and the play with Grant Heslov, has handed over the directing reins to Tony winner David Cromer. Performances for the Broadway adaptation begin on March 12, 2025 at the Winter Garden Theatre with opening night set for April 3.

The movie of Good Night, and Good Luck became a critical success, earning six Academy Award nominations, including Best Director for Clooney. The film not only honored his father’s legacy but also underscored Clooney’s commitment to telling this story.