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Anna Kendrick reveals the pep talk George Clooney gave her on the set of Up in the Air

  • Anna Kendrick spoke about co-star George Clooney’s encouragement during her 2009 film In the air
  • The actress appeared in an episode of Who’s talking to Chris Wallace? published on Friday, November 8th
  • Kendrick received an Oscar nomination for her portrayal of Natalie Keener In the air

Anna Kendrick will never forget this pep talk from co-star George Clooney.

During a new episode of Who’s talking to Chris Wallace? Posted on Friday, November 8, the 39-year-old actress recalled Clooney’s encouragement as they worked together on the 2009 film In the air.

Of working with Clooney, 63, early in her career, Kendrick said it was “absolutely terrifying – I mean, completely terrifying.”

“To other people, he’s kind of a big George, you know? And he works really hard to make you forget about that and feel good about yourself,” she continued. “The very first shot he and I did together was my first shot in the film.”

She added: “We were standing on this people mover waiting, the cameras pretty far away, and he said, ‘God, do you get nervous on the first day?’ I get so nervous. Are you becoming insecure? I’m getting really insecure.’ ”

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Anna Kendrick as Natalie Keener and George Clooney as Ryan Bingham in “Up in the Air.”

Paramount/Kobal/Shutterstock


“And I thought, ‘Yes, I do, George. I do. I’m getting really nervous. “I get really insecure,” Kendrick remembers.

She added, “And he did this whole thing thinking, ‘I’m worried.'” Did they even hire the right man?'”

The Pitch perfect Star said it wasn’t until years later that she realized Clooney was trying to calm her nerves.

“It took years for this memory to suddenly pop into my brain and I thought, ‘No, he’s not doing that!’ No, he doesn’t get nervous and he doesn’t get insecure or worried that they hired the wrong person,” she said.

“Maybe he dealt with it earlier in his career, but it was a great gift for him to say that because it felt like, ‘Oh, okay, I can bring my fear into the moment and someone will.’ Preserve space.’ For that and be cool with it,” she said.

“It really calmed me down a lot. And was pure fiction!” she added.

In the air received six Oscar nominations, including Best Picture, as well as awards for Kendrick and Vera Farmiga in the Best Supporting Actress category, Clooney in the Best Actor category and Jason Reitman in the Best Director category.

Anna Kendrick on October 22, 2024.

Jason Mendez/Getty


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Kendrick spoke to Business Insider last month about working with Clooney in the film.

“He was really the first person I worked with where I saw him listening to the notes that other actors were getting and adjusting his performance off-camera to make the adjustment needed,” she said .

Kendrick makes her directorial debut in the new true crime thriller Woman of the hourin which she also plays the lead role. In October, Kendrick told PEOPLE that directing and starring in the film was “a bit like directing blindfolded.”

“Basically I could run to the monitor, ask 30 seconds from the middle of the shot and say, ‘Okay, I’m keeping my fingers crossed that there are no surprises when I start editing,'” she said as she finished was appearing in a scene.

New episodes of Who’s talking to Chris Wallace? Are available every Friday morning on Max.

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