George Clooney Surprised 14 Friends Who Helped Him Before He 'Made It' With $1 Million Each

April 24, 2019

In 2013, George Clooney surprised 14 old friends with $1 million each.

The amazing gesture was revealed by Clooney's best friend Rande Gerber who said that the actor also paid for the taxes.

"There's a group of guys that we call 'The Boys.' George had called me and the boys and said, 'Hey, mark September 27, 2013 on your calendar. Everyone's going to come to my house for dinner'," Gerber said.

When his dinner guests arrived, they each had a black suitcase sitting in their spot at the table.

Gerber continued:

"George begins to say, 'Listen, I want you guys to know how much you've meant to me and how much you mean to me in my life. I came to L.A., I slept on your couch. I'm so fortunate in my life to have all of you and I couldn't be where I am today without all of you. So, it was really important to me that while we're still all here together, that I give back. So I want you all to open your suitcases.'

"Every one of us -- 14 of us -- got a million dollars. Every single one of us. We're in shock. Like, what is this? He goes, 'I know we've all been through some hard times, some of you are still going through it. You don't have to worry about your kids, you don't have to worry about, you know, school, you don't have to worry about paying your mortgage'."

Gerber revealed that most of them were living paycheck to paycheck at the time. But Gerber, who was living well, tried to decline the gift.

Clooney's response?

"I'm just going to make one announcement. If Rande doesn't take the million dollars, nobody gets it."