Clark Gregg Reminisces About Seeing George Clooney’s First Stage Role in 1986: “He Was Wonderful”
Clark Gregg is excited to share the stage with George Clooney once again.
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At the premiere of Netflix’s Zero Day in New York City, the Avengers actor, 62, recalled seeing Clooney perform in a play nearly four decades ago.
“I saw a young actor named George in a play in Chicago in 1986, and he was wonderful,” Gregg told PEOPLE. “Since we started rehearsing, he told me that was the only other play he’s ever done.”
Clooney made his theater debut in Vicious, a play by Denis Spedaliere about musician Sid Vicious, at Chicago’s Steppenwolf Theatre Company. Reflecting on that experience in a 2016 interview with The New Yorker, Clooney described his role—a character involved in a rough lifestyle—as “comic relief” and considered the play a turning point in his career.
“That was the first time I really felt like, ‘Okay, I’m in the right business. I shouldn’t be embarrassed about what I do,’” he said.
Clooney Prepares for His Broadway Debut
Now, nearly 40 years later, Clooney is set to make his Broadway debut in the stage adaptation of Good Night, and Good Luck. Directed by Tony winner David Cromer, the play is based on the 2005 film that Clooney co-wrote, directed, and starred in. While he originally played news producer Fred Friendly on screen, Clooney will take on the role of legendary journalist Edward R. Murrow for the stage production.
The play tells the real-life story of CBS journalist Murrow’s investigative reporting on Senator Joseph McCarthy. Performances begin on March 12 at the Winter Garden Theatre, with an official opening on April 3.
Alongside Clooney and Gregg, the cast includes Mac Brandt, Will Dagger, Christopher Denham, Glenn Fleshler, Ilana Glazer, Paul Gross, Georgia Heers, Carter Hudson, Fran Kranz, Jennifer Morris, Michael Nathanson, Andrew Polk, Aaron Roman Weiner, R. Ward Duffy, Joe Forbrich, Imani Rousselle, Greg Stuhr, JD Taylor, and Sophia Tzougros.
For Gregg, this production marks a return to Broadway after starring in A Few Good Men in 1989. “It has been a minute,” he admitted. “I’ve done a few plays, but it’s fun to go back to Broadway.”
With rehearsals underway, Gregg said the experience has been exciting. “We’re having a blast,” he shared. “It’s a great cast. I love Ilana Glazer, and I think David Cromer is adapting it beautifully for Broadway. I can’t wait for people to see it.”
Clooney Faces Challenges Memorizing Lines
Despite his extensive experience in film and television, Clooney admitted that preparing for live theater has been challenging. During a recent appearance on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert, the Oscar-winning actor humorously confessed that memorizing lines has been more difficult than he expected.
“I don’t even remember my kids’ names sometimes!” joked Clooney, who shares 7-year-old twins Alexander and Ella with wife Amal. “I’m 63!”
He compared the challenge to his time on ER, where he had to quickly recall complex medical terminology. “Back then, we’d do 12 pages of dialogue a day, and I could just come in and get through it. I was 30 years old,” he said. Demonstrating his ability to still remember the phrase “supraventricular tachycardia” from the medical drama, Clooney quipped, “I’ve never gotten that one wrong since.”
With Good Night, and Good Luck marking his return to the stage, audiences are eager to see Clooney take on the challenge—and by all accounts, it’s shaping up to be an unforgettable performance.