GEORGE CLOONEY - CLOONEY FOUGHT TO KEEP HIMSELF OUT OF NEW MOVIE

GEORGE CLOONEY fought against starring in his hard-hitting new drama GOOD NIGHT, GOOD LUCK because he felt he'd ruin the film if he played revered US newsman EDWARD R MURROW.

Studio bosses insisted Clooney star in the film, which he wrote and directed, if he wanted funding for the project, but he argued he'd be a terrible choice.

Instead, Clooney cast thespian DAVID STRATHAIRN as Murrow and he agreed to play famed TV news producer FRED FRIENDLY, but he remains convinced his appearance in the movie is the weakest.

Clooney says, "When you see him (Murrow), he always feels like he has the weight of the world on his shoulders and that's not something that you, in general, think of me as.

"Truthfully, I'm the worst cast role in my film and I'm in it because I helped get the money... It's not fun directing yourself."