Over two decades ago, director Steven Soderbergh created one of the biggest casting coups by bringing together some of Hollywood’s biggest stars to share screen space in his heist thriller Ocean’s Eleven.

The cast comprised huge superstars like George Clooney, Brad Pitt, Matt Damon, and Julia Roberts. Expectedly, the film became a resounding success at the box office which then led Soderbergh to expand the franchise into two more films, Ocean’s Twelve and Ocean’s Thirteen.

A still from Ocean’s Eleven

Among the many interesting features of the film which included the stellar A-List cast, a few pieces of trivia, and behind the scene titbits also added to its hype. One of these incidents involved the casting of Oscar winner Julia Roberts and George Clooney’s reaction to it.

George Clooney Gave A Witty Welcome To Julia Roberts

Steven Soderbergh’s Ocean’s Eleven saw an enviable array of Hollywood superstars sharing screen space in the heist thriller. One of the biggest draws was Julia Roberts.

Undoubtedly Hollywood’s sweetheart for her stunning presence over the years, the actor became the highest-paid female actor in the 2000s with an official salary of 20 million dollars per film.

George Clooney who headlined Ocean’s Eleven by playing the titular character, welcomed his co-actor with a witty and humorous gesture. The star sent Roberts the script of the film along with a note and a 20 dollar bill with the words,

“I hear you’re getting 20 a picture now,”

George Clooney and Julia Roberts in Ocean’s Eleven

With a plethora of big stars vying for prominence, Ocean’s Eleven could have become a problem of plenty. But Soderbergh and the cast ensured that camaraderie and mutual respect took precedence over egos and insecurities.

The films also inspired an all-female spin-off titled Ocean’s 8 which was released in 2018 starring Sandra Bullock, Anne Hathaway, Cate Blanchett, Sarah Paulson, and Helena Bonham-Carter among a glittering star-studded cast.

George Clooney And Julia Roberts: From Co-Stars To Friends

George Clooney and Julia Roberts first worked together in Steven Soderbergh’s Ocean’s Eleven. This was the beginning of a long-term association between the two stars not just professionally but also as friends. Speaking of their friendship of over 22 years, Clooney said,

“The minute we met, we had fun. The beauty is, when you work with people who take their work seriously and don’t take themselves seriously, and that’s really fun.”

George Clooney and Julia Roberts are close friends

Roberts returned the compliment by stating that she saw a good friendship blossoming right from the time they met each other. Their bond translated to many successful partnerships on screen over the years.

Apart from the Ocean’s Eleven sequels, Clooney and Roberts starred together in Ticket to Paradise, Confessions of a Dangerous Mind, Money Monster, and August: Osage County. The two actors are also Oscar winners with Clooney winning Best Supporting Actor for Syriana and Roberts winning Best Actress in a Leading Role for her memorable performance in Erin Brockovich.