--- description: "I'm friends with a lot of those guys and I just think it's hell" title: George Clooney Rules Out Running for Office: 'Who Would Ever Want to Live Like That?' image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt4693a6da2184f6f6/698868c2cf40a850fcc40403/gettyimages-487837772.jpg?branch=production&width=3840&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9 ---  * [Entertainment](/section/entertainment/) ## Entertainment Update your preferences in [Account Settings](/account/preferences/) Close # George Clooney Rules Out Running for Office: 'Who Would Ever Want to Live Like That?' by [Lindsay Kimble / People](/author/people/) ## Lindsay Kimble / People Update your preferences in [Account Settings](/account/preferences/) Close Oct 17, 2015 7:09 PM CUT  George Clooney during 2015 Toronto International Film Festival on Sept. 11, 2015 in Toronto, Canada. George Clooney during 2015 Toronto International Film Festival on Sept. 11, 2015 in Toronto, Canada.Michael Tran—Getty Images by [Lindsay Kimble / People](/author/people/) ## Lindsay Kimble / People Update your preferences in [Account Settings](/account/preferences/) Close Oct 17, 2015 7:09 PM CUT Don’t expect a [Kanye West](http://www.people.com/people/kanye%5Fwest "undefined") and [George Clooney](http://www.people.com/people/george%5Fclooney "undefined") face-off [in 2020](http://www.people.com/article/barack-obama-gives-kanye-west-presidential-advice "undefined") – unlike the rapper, the Oscar winner has no political aspirations. Clooney told the crowd during a press conference for [_Our Brand Is Crisis_](http://www.people.com/article/our-brand-is-crisis-toronto-international-film-festival "undefined") in Los Angeles on Friday, that despite ongoing questions and rumors, he will never run for office. “I’ve been asked that for almost 20 years now and the answer is just no,” Clooney said. “Who would ever want to live like that? I’m friends with a lot of those guys and I just think it’s hell.” The actor, who produced the political dramedy _Our Brand_ (in which he was [originally pegged to star](http://www.people.com/article/sandra-bullock-our-brand-is-crisis-first-look-photo "undefined")), said while he respects those in leadership positions, he doesn’t think he could handle the pressure and scrutiny. “I commend people who go into public service because it’s such a horrible way to get elected, it’s such a horrible time while you’re in office,” he said. “It’s more polarized now probably, arguably, since the Civil War in many ways and I think people will argue over things they believed in six or eight years ago because it’s not their guy saying it.” Of course, Clooney’s wife [Amal](http://www.people.com/people/news/category/0,,personsTax:AmalAlamuddin,00.html "undefined"), works as an accomplished human rights lawyer. The Brit is currently [defending former Maldivian President Mohamed Nasheed](http://www.people.com/article/amal-clooney-defends-former-maldives-president-mohamed-nasheed-video "undefined"), whom she says she feels has been wrongly imprisoned by a government that has a dangerous disregard for human rights and the democratic process. _This_ [_article_](http://www.people.com/article/george-clooney-wont-ever-run-for-office "undefined") _originally appeared on_ [_People.com_](http://www.people.com/article/george-clooney-wont-ever-run-for-office "undefined") ```json [{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"NewsArticle","@id":"https://time.com/4077466/george-clooney-president-public-office/","mainEntityOfPage":{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https://time.com/4077466/george-clooney-president-public-office/"},"headline":"George Clooney Rules Out Running for Office: 'Who Would Ever Want to Live Like That?'","datePublished":"2015-10-17T19:09:27.000Z","dateModified":"2026-02-22T11:52:55.594Z","description":"\"I'm friends with a lot of those guys and I just think it's hell\"","url":"https://time.com/4077466/george-clooney-president-public-office/","keywords":["celebrities"],"thumbnailUrl":"https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt4693a6da2184f6f6/698868c2cf40a850fcc40403/gettyimages-487837772.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=1200:675&height=675","author":[{"@type":"Person","name":"Lindsay Kimble / People"}],"articleSection":"Entertainment","image":[{"@type":"ImageObject","url":"https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt4693a6da2184f6f6/698868c2cf40a850fcc40403/gettyimages-487837772.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=1200:675&height=675","width":1200,"height":675,"headline":"GettyImages-487837772","caption":"arrives at \"Our Brand Is Crisis\" premiere during 2015 Toronto International Film Festival held at Princess of Wales Theatre on September 11, 2015 in Toronto, Canada.","creditText":"Michael Tran—Getty Images","representativeOfPage":true}],"publisher":{"@type":"Organization","name":"Time","url":"https://time.com/","logo":{"@type":"ImageObject","url":"https://time.com/images/logo.png","width":528,"height":156},"foundingDate":"March 3, 1923","sameAs":["https://www.facebook.com/time","https://www.instagram.com/time/?hl=en","https://twitter.com/time","https://www.pinterest.com/timemagazine"]}},{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"BreadcrumbList","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"item":{"@id":"/section/entertainment/","name":"Entertainment"}},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"item":{"@id":"https://time.com/4077466/george-clooney-president-public-office/","name":"George Clooney Rules Out Running for Office: 'Who Would Ever Want to Live Like That?'"}}]},{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"VideoObject","name":"Kanye announces he will run for president","description":"Kanye announces he will run for president","thumbnailUrl":"https://cdn.jwplayer.com/v2/media/NAa2BKTJ/poster.jpg?width=720","uploadDate":"2015-08-31T03:21:02.000Z","contentUrl":"https://cdn.jwplayer.com/manifests/NAa2BKTJ.m3u8","embedUrl":"https://time.com/4077466/george-clooney-president-public-office/","duration":"PT11S","potentialAction":{"@type":"SeekToAction","target":"https://time.com/4077466/george-clooney-president-public-office/?jw_start={seek_to_second_number}","startOffset-input":"required name=seek_to_second_number"}}] ```