George Clooney and Ryan Gosling Got Political in The Ides of March

George Clooney is arguably one of the most prominent and recognizable performers in Hollywood, with the decorated actor making a name for himself on both the big and small screen over the course of his illustrious career. A celebrated actor, director, and producer, Clooney has been the recipient of countless accolades, like two Academy Awards and four Golden Globes, demonstrating his dazzling skills both in front of the camera and behind it.

In 2011, he helmed the powerful political drama The Ides of March and enlisted a top-tier ensemble cast led by himself, Ryan Gosling, Philip Seymour Hoffman, and Paul Giamatti (to name just a few), with the gripping film chronicling a presidential hopeful’s epic journey to win the Democratic ticket as he faces some pretty hefty hurdles. Despite becoming both a critical and commercial triumph, The Ides of March is an often overlooked entry in both Clooney and Gosling’s stellar repertoires; let’s check out more about the riveting picture.

Two Hollywood Greats Collaborate on the Big Screen

Touting a star-studded ensemble cast led by some of the entertainment industry’s finest performers, the riveting 2011 political drama The Ides of March marks Clooney’s fourth directorial endeavor and is an adaptation of Beau Willimon’s play Farragut North. It focuses on charismatic presidential hopeful Governor Mike Morris (Clooney) as he turns to the expertise of his savvy and idealistic press secretary Stephen Meyers (Gosling) to help him clinch the Democratic nomination.

Meyers is given a crash course on the shady world of politics as he pushes to help his candidate nab the highly-coveted ticket, all the while unearthing shocking revelations about Morris, whom he initially believed to be full of integrity and honesty. When it is revealed that Morris had a potentially career-destructive romantic dalliance with an intern (Evan Rachel Wood) and covertly met with his opposition’s campaign manager (Giamatti), it’s up to Meyers and his brilliant mentor Paul Zara (Hoffman) to keep the controversies buried. Meyers is left to figure out whether his virtue is more important than a victory in the taut political film.

Clooney Continues Showcasing His Directorial Talents

Back in 2011, Hollywood leading man George Clooney was continuing to establish himself as not only a gifted actor but one of the industry’s most compelling directors, with Ides of March serving as his fourth silver screen production. Clooney directed, produced, starred in, and helped pen the screenplay for the engrossing political drama. The project nearly reunited the leading man with friend and frequent collaborator Brad Pitt, who was initially cast as Hoffman’s character, Paul Zara, before he was ultimately forced to drop out.

Similarly, Leonardo DiCaprio was slated to appear as Stephen Meyers but ended up executive producing the film instead through his company Appian Way, paving the way for Ryan Gosling to deliver a knockout performance as the visionary junior campaign manager. The year proved to be extremely beneficial and lucrative for Gosling, who was riding high on the overwhelming success of the romantic comedy Crazy, Stupid, Love and the critically acclaimed action drama Drive, both of which further helped the charming actor garner mainstream success with audiences.

Related

Every Movie Directed by George Clooney, Ranked

The Oscar-winner is a Hollywood powerhouse who wears many hats. Here’s a closer look at all of George Clooney’s efforts from behind the camera.

Clooney had long been fascinated by the world of journalism and was outspoken about his political views, with the silver screen staple initially stumbling upon the screenplay for The Ides of March back in 2006 before Farragut North even made its official debut on stage. The project was ultimately placed on hold following the outcome of the 2008 presidential election, despite Clooney having wanted production to begin. The Academy Award winner reflected on the decision: “People were too optimistic for such a cynical film!” Clooney elaborated on his choice to hold off on creating the movie, telling Entertainment Weekly:

“We were actually in pre-production and then Obama was elected. We realized everybody was in such a good mood that we couldn’t possibly make this movie now. And then it took about a year. Bad for the country, very good for filmmaking.”

An Underrated Political Knockout

After waiting for the right moment to create and release the riveting and all-too-realistic picture, The Ides of March made its highly-anticipated debut on October 7, 2011, becoming a certified knockout with both critics and audiences everywhere and attracting widespread praise for its brilliant screenplay, engaging performances, and captivating look at what goes on behind-the-scenes of political campaigns. Jam-packed full of juicy twists and turns, the powerful drama also features plenty of betrayal, backstabbing, and an emotional complexity that leaves viewers on the edge of their seats.

Related

Ryan Gosling’s 10 Highest-Grossing Movies of All Time, Ranked

Ryan Gosling’s career has continually grown over the years, and he has starred in hits ranging from Barbie to La La Land and Crazy, Stupid, Love.

The Ides of March was a financial success and earned $76.3 million against a modest $12.5 million budget, and was also the recipient of numerous accolades, including an Academy Award nomination for Best Adapted Screenplay and four Golden Globe nods, while also taking home the prestigious Brian Award at the Venice International Film Festival. Both Clooney and Gosling shine as the two vastly different political hopefuls and The Ides of March highlights their respective allure and commanding presences, and despite being an underrated spectacle, is just as timely and meaningful as it was 13 years ago.