(Applause Books). He's famous for twice being People magazine's Sexiest Man Alive, for his penchant for practical jokes and his vow never to remarry, as well as for his Oscar-winning and Emmy-nominated acting career. But George Clooney's reputation as a celebrity belies his essential seriousness, as a businessman, a humanitarian, and, of course, in his ascendancy to the Hollywood A-list. In this updated biography of one of Hollywood's most colorful leading men, pop culture expert Kimberly Potts traces Clooney's life from small-town boy to big-screen idol. Clooney slowly and deliberately built a resume that took him from TV stardom on ER to a winning film career as a serious actor, writer, producer and director. Along the way Potts fills us in on Clooney's early attempts to break into film (including his Batman flop), his many well-publicized romances, and his political and humanitarian efforts, including cofounding the antigenocide organization Not On Our Watch. Potts also discusses Clooney's shrewd strategy of alternating blockbuster movie roles with less lucrative "passion" projects such as Syriana and Good Night, and Good Luck that reflect his personal ethics. He won an Academy Award for the former and rave reviews for the latter, and has continued to earn accolades and Oscar nominations for smart dramas such as Michael Clayton and Up in the Air . Including fresh interviews, essential Clooney photographs, an updated filmography and timeline, and a list of his favorite 100 films, this is the book no Clooney fan will want to be without.