George Clooney is opening up about the true story behind The Boys in the Boat.
Speaking with ComingSoon’s Tyler Treese in an exclusive interview, Clooney was asked about the true story that 2023’s The Boys in the Boat is based on and if he was “blown away” when he first learned about all the tribulations and adversity the rowing team had to overcome.
Clooney answered, “Well, it was kind of crazy because, if you were watching this film or you’re reading this script and you see, ‘Oh, the cow coach gives them the money and they didn’t have the money,’ and, ‘Oh, the kid got so sick he lost 15 pounds before the big race.’ Or, ‘They put them on the outside lane and they didn’t hear the gun go off.’ All of it happened.
“If you’d read that script and it was a made-up story, you’d go, ‘You can’t put all these in it — it’s just not realistic.’ So that’s what was fun about it. It’s also a responsibility, because you have to try to make it cinematic and not feel goofy along the way. But the truth is, we had really wonderful actors to carry me through that.”
What is The Boys in the Boat about?
“The Boys in the Boat is a sports drama based on the #1 New York Times bestselling non-fiction novel written by Daniel James Brown,” the film’s synopsis reads. “The film, directed by George Clooney, is about the 1936 University of Washington rowing team that competed for gold at the Summer Olympics in Berlin. This inspirational true story follows a group of underdogs at the height of the Great Depression as they are thrust into the spotlight and take on elite rivals from around the world.”
Directed by Clooney with a screenplay by Mark L. Smith, The Boys in the Boat stars Callum Turner, Joel Edgerton, Jack Mulhern, Sam Strike, Alec Newman, and Peter Guinness.
The Boys in the Boat is currently playing in United States theaters.
