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Anna Kendrick reveals the pep talk George Clooney gave her on the set of ‘Up in the Air’
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Anna Kendrick reveals the pep talk George Clooney gave her on the set of ‘Up in the Air’

  • Anna Kendrick opened up about her co-star George Clooney’s encouragement during the 2009 film In the air
  • The actress appeared in an episode of Who is talking to Chris Wallace? released on Friday November 8
  • Kendrick was nominated for an Academy Award for her portrayal of Natalie Keener in In the air

Anna Kendrick I will never forget this pep talk from my costar George Clooney.

During a new episode of Who is talking to Chris Wallace? released on Friday, November 8, the 39-year-old actress recalled Clooney’s encouragement when they worked together on the 2009 film In the air.

Speaking about working with Clooney, 63, early in his career, Kendrick said it was “absolutely terrifying — I mean, completely terrifying.”

“To others, he’s a bit like capital George, you know? And he works very hard to make you forget about that and feel comfortable,” she continued. “The very first shot he and I did together was my first shot in the movie.”

She added: “We were standing on this people mover, and we were kind of waiting, with the cameras quite far away, and he said, ‘My God, do you get nervous on the first day?’ I get so nervous. Are you not safe? I’m really not safe. »

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Anna Kendrick as Natalie Keener and George Clooney as Ryan Bingham in “Up in the Air.”

Paramount/Kobal/Shutterstock


“And I was like, ‘Yes, I do, George. I do. I’m getting totally nervous. I’m absolutely not safe,” Kendrick recalls.

She added: “And he was making this whole thing about, ‘I’m worried.’ Like, did they even hire the right person? »

THE Perfect pitch The star said it wasn’t until years later that she discovered Clooney was trying to help calm her nerves.

“It was only after several years that this memory came to my mind and I thought: ‘No, that’s not the case!’ No, he doesn’t get nervous, he doesn’t feel unsafe or worried that they hired the wrong person,” she said.

“Maybe it’s something he faced earlier in his career, but it was such a gift for him to say that, because it was like, ‘Oh, okay, I can bring my anxiety in the present moment, and someone will hold space.’ for it and be cool about it,” she said.

“It really, really put me at ease. And it was complete fiction! she added.

In the air earned six Academy Award nominations, including Best Picture, as well as nominations for Kendrick and Vera Farmiga in the Best Supporting Actress category, Clooney in the Best Actor category, and Jason Reitman in the Best Director category.

Anna Kendrick on October 22, 2024.

Jason Méndez/Getty


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Kendrick previously spoke to Business Insider last month about working with Clooney in the film.

“He was really the first person I worked with and I would see him listen to the notes that the other actors were getting and he would adjust his performance off camera to help get the adjustments needed,” she said.

Kendrick makes her directorial debut in new crime thriller Woman of the hourin which she also stars. In October, Kendrick told PEOPLE that directing and starring in the film “was a lot like directing with a blindfold.»

“Basically, I could run up to the monitor, ask to see 30 seconds from the middle of this take and say, ‘Okay, fingers crossed that there are no surprises when I go in in the edit,'” she said of the end of that take. play in a scene.

New episodes of Who is talking to Chris Wallace? are available every Friday morning on Max.