George Clooney Confronts Tarantino Over Paul Dano, Matthew Lillard Slams

A Night of Recognition and Friendship

BEVERLY HILLS, CA − On the eve of the 83rd annual Golden Globes, former "ER" costars Noah Wyle and George Clooney were reunited at the AARP Awards, a testament to their decades-long friendship. The AARP Movies for Grownups Awards turned out to be a big night for the former "ER" cast members as Wyle won the best actor in TV award for his role as Dr. Michael "Robby" Robinavitch on "The Pitt" (Season 2 is now streaming on HBO Max) and Clooney took home the award for best actor for his role in the Netflix movie "Jay Kelly."

Wyle, 54, and Clooney, 64, presented each other with their respective awards Jan. 10 and during Clooney’s remarks, he proudly said, "When I grow up, I want to be Noah Wyle" after singing his praises as an actor, a father, a friend and a man. From his seat, Wyle could be seen raising his hand to his face, wiping tears from his eyes.

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When he joined Clooney onstage to receive his award, he said his longtime collaborator’s remarks made him tear up.

A Legacy of Professionalism and Family

Wyle, too, looked back at the many years he’s known Clooney, especially what he’s learned from the actor during their shared time on "ER."

"I learned a lot of what I practice on the set of ‘The Pitt’ in terms of professionalism from this man right here," he said. "I remember vividly the first week of ‘ER,’ he called the entire cast into his trailer, and he said, ‘OK, everybody, this time, it’s going to be different. We’re going to be nice to everyone, and there isn’t going to be any division between cast and crew or foreground and background.’"

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Wyle said that ever since his time on the medical drama, he’s been trying to find that "feeling, that sense of family, that sense of commitment" that Clooney gave the cast and crew then. "It was only with ‘The Pitt’ that I found that again," he added.

"This has been the second time lightning has struck in my life," he went on. "And I don’t know that it will strike again. But I’m very conscious of being present and clear-eyed for all of this."

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A Light-Hearted Moment and a Serious Message

Accepting the award for best actor for "Jay Kelly," Clooney joked about the age requirements for winning an AARP Award. "I realize now that the only way I was going to win anything is that Timothée Chalamet is too god-damned young! Put that in your pipe, Mr. Timothée!" Clooney said.

"When I was … Paul [Mescal], how old are you? When I was 29 years old, and I heard somebody die when they were 64, I’d think, ‘They lived a good life,’ and now it’s like, what are you talking about?"

George Clooney addresses Quentin Tarantino’s comments about Paul Dano, Matthew Lillard

During his best actor speech, Clooney took time to address comments Quentin Tarantino made in December about actors Paul Dano, whom he called "weak sauce," and Matthew Lillard, whom he said he didn’t care for as an actor.

"’Jay Kelly’ is a film about and made by people who love actors," Clooney said. "It’s an important part of this … you know, people throughout this room and people I’ve known most of my life, actually, and most of them are actors, and I have a great affinity. I don’t enjoy watching people be cruel to actors."

"By the way, Paul Dano and Owen Wilson and Matthew Lillard, I would be honored to work with those actors. Honored," Clooney added to applause from the room. "We’re living in a time of cruelty; we don’t need to be adding to it."