George Clooney Tops Highest-Paid Actor List, All Thanks To Booze

George Clooney did not act in a movie in 2017 or 2018 (so far), unless you consider Nespresso: Comin' Home, a 30-second commercial, a movie. Yet he topped the Forbes highest-paid actor list for the period from June 1, 2017 through June 1, 2018. Why? Tequila!

Go ahead and press play.

Clooney managed to hold off runner-up challenger Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson thanks to Casamigos Tequila, the brand he co-founded with two friends in 2013 (a regular Ocean's Three, if you will. A Batman and Robin and Other Robin.) It was purchased by Diageo, a"British liquor conglomerate," for $1 billion ($700 million up front, $300 million possible over the next decade) last June. Combine that with some other endorsements and some money still coming in from older movies, and bam, rich guy becomes much richer—a regular money monster.

Clooney didn't take the money and say "good night, and good luck" to his brand. He and his partners recently asked "O mezcal, where art thou?" and added a joven to the Casamigos portfolio. I haven't tried it, but maybe it's out of sight.

I'd add a more recent Clooney reference, but there are none. Still, it's not like there's much gravity to this situation. His next project is Hulu's Catch-22, so at least that part of his future's not up in the air, and it's not as though he's just sitting around drinking tequila from dusk till dawn—if he was, he might need a trip to the E.R. I'm done now.