"Confessions Of A Dangerous Mind" sees George Clooney trying his hand at the directing game. He spoke to Jonathan Ross about the challenges involved.

Jonathan Ross: You're hugely successful as an actor, what made you want to direct as well?

George Clooney: Well I didn't want to direct. This was a screenplay that I was attached to as an actor and over a period of about five years it just fell apart. So I thought I could pick it up and get it made more cheaply if I got everybody to work for scale, and I work for scale.

It's Sam Rockwell's first lead role and I believe there was some initial reluctance by the backers?

Well that's understandable, they didn't want to jump onto a $28m Sam Rockwell film, I understand that, but he is the right actor for the role.

I like your directing style, would you choose to do that for a living rather than act?

It's something that I will try to do again if I have an understanding of a script as I do with this one. I was busy ripping off all my favourite directors! I actually literally wrote a letter to Mike Nichols and Sidney Lumet and said: "People will call this an homage but you and I will know different!"

Watch the video interview.

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