Hollywood actor and filmmaker George Clooney voiced strong opposition on Friday to U.S. President Donald Trump’s threat of imposing a 100% tariff on all foreign-produced films. Speaking in London ahead of the Albies awards, an event he co-founded with his wife Amal Clooney to honor human rights defenders, Clooney argued that tariffs are not the right way to address the challenges facing the American film industry.
Clooney acknowledged Trump’s concern that Hollywood jobs are leaving California but emphasized the root cause: the lack of competitive tax incentives. “It’s true that film jobs are moving out of California,” Clooney said, “but it’s because we don’t have proper tax incentives or rebates like New York does.” He urged that if the federal government introduced nationwide incentives similar to those in New York, New Jersey, and Louisiana, it would create a significant positive impact for the U.S. film industry.
The Albies awards, founded by the Clooneys, spotlight global leaders in human rights and social justice. Among the 2024 honorees were Melinda French Gates for her decades-long advocacy on women’s health and gender equality, and Marty Baron, former editor of The Washington Post and The Boston Globe, recognized for his journalistic leadership. Darren Walker, president of the Ford Foundation, was honored for creating a billion-dollar social bond to sustain non-profits during the COVID-19 crisis.
Also recognized were Fatou Baldeh, a prominent campaigner against female genital mutilation, and Guatemalan journalist Jose Ruben Zamora, who has dedicated over thirty years to investigating corruption in his country.
By addressing both industry concerns and celebrating global human rights defenders, Clooney highlighted the need for smarter economic policies while using his platform to uplift voices committed to justice worldwide.