George Clooney to Add Star Power to BFI London Film Festival Galas

LONDON – George Clooney will go the ball. Or at least a couple of premieres.

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Organizers of this year’s BFI London Film Festival were swift to allay growing concern that Clooney, who stars in a brace of movies unspooling in gala screenings during this year’s shindig, would not be on hand to glad hand at both movies.

Clooney’s The Ides of March in which he stars and directs and The Descendents, directed by Alexander Payne, are both the subject of red carpet galas in the festival’s coming days.

But a press notice seemed to cause confusion about Clooney’s commitments and whether or not he would show up to support both.

Festival flaks issued a statement to iron out any misunderstandings saying that while it is not clear how much press Clooney will do, “he is absolutely confirmed to attend both screenings.”

Clooney is one of a handful of big U.S. draws for audiences, industry and theater bystanders alikes and has a grand old history with the capital’s largest movie festival event.

For Ides of March, Evan Rachel Wood is confirmed to help Clooney along while Philip Seymour Hoffman “is likely to attend”.

For Payne’s premiere, cast member Shailene Woodley, Payne and Clooney are on the roster to set the flashbulbs popping.