George Clooney's Publicist Clarifies Leonardo DiCaprio, Russell Crowe Disses

"The Leo comments were all made in fun about basketball," the actor's publicist tells E! News

By Alyssa Toomey Nov 11, 2013 9:31 PMTags
Russell Crowe, George Clooney, Leonardo DiCaprioFred Duval/FilmMagic, Kevork Djansezian/Getty Images for AFI, Startraksphoto

George Clooney is clarifying his comments to Esquire magazine after saying some not-so-nice words about two of his very famous peers.

The 52-year-old Oscar winner is making headlines for his recent interview in which he subtly disses Leonardo DiCaprio in addition to opening up about his feud with Russell Crowe, who famously bashed the actor in the press in 2005.

In the interview, Clooney recalled playing basketball with the Titantic star in Cabo San Lucas and claimed that Leo talked a big game only to lose big-time to the gray-haired hunk.

"The discrepancy between their game and how they talked about their game made me think of how important it is to have someone in your life to tell you what's what," Clooney told Esquire. "I'm not sure if Leo has someone like that."

George's publicist has since clarified Clooney's quotes, insisting the actor wasn't trying to throw shade at the 39-year-old star.

"The Leo comments were all made in fun about basketball," the Descendants star's publicist tells E! News. "Not about Leo's life. The writer and George were laughing about basketball buddies."

While Clooney may have backtracked a bit on his DiCaprio remarks, he didn't change his tune when it came to his comments on Russell Crowe, who publicly accused the actor of selling out eight years ago.

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"He picked a fight with me. He started it for no reason at all," Clooney told the mag. "He put out this thing saying, 'George Clooney, Harrison Ford, and Robert De Niro are sellouts'...He really went after me. And so I sent him a note going, 'Dude, the only people who succeed when two famous people are fighting is People magazine. What the f--k is wrong with you?'"

And he was equally as blunt when it came to any further explanation:

"As for the Russell Crowe story. George was asked about it and told the truth," Clooney's publicist told E! News.

Well, that settles it.

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