Vogue Archive: Lisa DePaulo's 2000 Profile of George Clooney

Vogue has republished "Catch Him if You Can," a profile of George Clooney written by Lisa DePaulo for its June 2000 issue. The piece captures Clooney at 38, weeks before his 39th birthday, as he rehearses the live TV remake Fail Safe on the Warner Bros. lot. He admits to anxiety and insomnia, saying, "If this is a failure, it's my failure." The article details his tight-knit group of friends, "The Boys," who gather weekly at his Hollywood home for motorcycle rides, basketball, and movies. It also covers his career transition from ER to films like Out of Sight and the upcoming The Perfect Storm, and his personal life, including his divorce from Talia Balsam and breakup with Céline Balitran. Clooney reflects on his Kentucky upbringing, his father Nick Clooney's influence, his aunt Rosemary Clooney, and his battle with Bell's palsy as a teenager. He also discusses his fight against tabloid TV and his views on fame, family, and relationships. The profile includes scenes at the Smoke House Restaurant with friends and colleagues, and ends with Clooney driving home alone, questioning whether anyone can truly have it all.