George Clooney has withdrawn from the Venice Film Festival after being struck down with a serious sinus infection – which RadarOnline.com can reveal is only the latest in a long list of health scares that have shadowed the 64-year-old Hollywood star in recent years.
Clooney, who was due to promote his new Noah Baumbach film Jay Kelly, recently abruptly canceled his press appearances on medical advice.
The A-list actor, director, and producer had been expected to attend a photocall and press conference before the movie’s premiere but was told to rest after feeling unwell.
George’s Abrupt Cancellation
His absence was confirmed by the festival’s moderator, who claimed he had a ‘sinus infection.’
His absence was confirmed by the festival’s moderator, who told reporters: “I’m afraid George Clooney is not going to be here, because he has a bad, serious sinus infection.
“We hope that he should be on the red carpet tonight.”
A source close to the actor said: “George was really knocked down by the infection, and doctors told him to stop completely for a few days. He’s been going at full speed, and it finally took its toll.
“He’s resting quietly in Venice, but it’s made him realize just how many health battles he’s faced over time.”
The insider added: “He’s always been proud and hates letting anyone down, but he knows he can’t keep driving himself the way he once did.”
George’s Medical Concerns Since Finding Fame
Since Clooney skyrocketed to worldwide fame, he faced a handful of medical incidents.
The illness comes after a series of serious medical incidents that have plagued Clooney since his rise to international fame.
In 2005, while filming the political thriller Syriana, the actor suffered a severe spinal injury when a chair on set tipped backward, tearing the dura mater – the protective membrane surrounding the spinal cord.
It was an injury that left him bedridden for weeks and in excruciating pain.
He later said: “I was at a point where I thought, ‘I can’t exist like this. I can’t actually live.’
“I was lying in a hospital bed with an IV in my arm, unable to move, having these (feelings) where it feels like you’re having a stroke.”
Friends say the trauma of the accident never fully left him.
One longtime associate said: “That accident left a lasting mark on George. He still struggles with pain all these years later.
“He stays upbeat in public, but those who know him well understand he’s learned to live with it every single day.”
George’s Near-Fatal Incident
Clooney’s physical recovery was followed by another near-fatal event in 2018.
Clooney’s physical recovery was followed by another near-fatal event in 2018, when he was thrown from his motorcycle while traveling to a film set in Sardinia.
Traveling at around 120kph, he collided with a car and was flung into the air.
“I launched. I go head over heels,” he said about the incident. “If you did it 100 times, maybe once you land on your hands and knees, and any other version you land, you’re toast.”
The impact was so severe he initially believed all his teeth had been knocked out, only to realize it was shattered glass from the windshield.
George’s Past Health Issues Revealed
The illness comes after a series of serious medical incidents.
Two years later, Clooney underwent surgery on his neck as a result of complications linked to the crash.
Then in 2020, while filming his post-apocalyptic drama The Midnight Sky, he was hospitalized with pancreatitis after losing more than two stone in weight for the role.
“I think I was trying too hard to lose the weight quickly and probably wasn’t taking care of myself,” he said. “It took a few weeks to get better, and as a director it’s not so easy because you need energy.”
Clooney, who was recently seen leaving Venice with his wife Amal, 47, is said to be focusing on his recovery before returning to work.
“He’s faced more than his fair share of health issues,” said the source. “Each one has taken its toll, but in typical George fashion, he keeps pushing forward.”
