George Clooney Switches It Up With Surprising New Hair Color

George Clooney turned heads over the weekend with a bold new hair transformation as he stepped out for lunch with his wife, Amal Clooney, in New York City.

The couple joined their friend and attorney, Kevin Johnson, at the celebrity-favorite Raoul’s in SoHo.

Amal embraced spring fashion in a cropped plaid jacket, bell-bottom jeans, and oversized sunglasses, while George Clooney kept his look casual-cool in a black leather jacket, beige chinos, and Adidas sneakers.

The "Ocean’s Eleven" star traded his iconic silver hair for a fresh brown hue, a change made for his upcoming role on Broadway as legendary journalist Edward R. Murrow in the stage adaptation of "Good Night, And Good Luck."

The new production is based on the 2005 film of the same name, which Clooney co-wrote, directed, and starred in, taking on the role of CBS President Fred Friendly. This time, he’s stepping into the lead role and bringing the story to the stage.

The play, co-written by Clooney and Grant Heslov, opens on April 3.

Though he’s excited about the project, Clooney has admitted that the hair dye wasn’t his favorite part of the process, and his wife, Amal, isn’t a fan either.

“My wife is going to hate it because nothing makes you look older than when an older guy dyes his hair,” Clooney joked to The New York Times. “My kids are going to just laugh at me nonstop.”

George and Amal, who married in 2014, share 7-year-old twins, Ella and Alexander. Along with his hair transformation, Clooney also picked up a smoking habit to fully embody Murrow, who famously smoked three packs a day and died from lung cancer at 57.

“I had to get better at inhaling,” Clooney said, adding that he sneaks outside to smoke so his kids don’t catch him. Once he hits the stage, however, he plans to switch to herbal cigarettes. Despite his preparation, the Oscar winner admits to feeling nervous about performing live theater.

“Are you kidding? I’m doing 11 monologues. When you get older, your recall isn’t the same,” he shared. "When I was doing ‘ER,’ it was 12 pages of medical dialogue. You look at it in the morning and you say, ‘OK, let’s go!’ Now you get older and you’re going, ‘What’s wrong with me? Well, don’t drink any wine tonight.’”

Still, Clooney believes the story is timely, emphasizing the play’s focus on truth and the importance of facts in today’s world. “It feels more like it’s about truth, not just the press. Facts matter,” he said.

With a new look and a challenging role ahead, George Clooney is ready to take the Broadway stage by storm.

The story, set in the 1950s, delves into Murrow and his CBS news team’s courageous investigation into Senator Joseph McCarthy’s notorious anti-communist campaign. The production highlights how Murrow and his colleagues stood up against lies and helped to hold those in power accountable.

Clooney, a global star, shared how his deep connection to journalism, partly influenced by his father’s 40-year career as a news anchor, drives his passion for this project. “Journalism is always challenged. Power doesn't like journalism. Never has, and didn't like it when it was Jefferson and Adams, and they don't like it now,” he said. “We really believe in the idea of holding truth to power.”

For Clooney, the play isn’t just about journalism but also about showcasing America at its best. "It's actually a story about us at our best as Americans, which is holding ourselves accountable, which I think is good," he added.

Despite his status as one of Hollywood’s most celebrated actors, Clooney admitted that taking on Broadway is both daunting and exhilarating.

"Well, it's scary. But, you know, I haven't done a play in 40 years, so it's one of those things where, and I've never done the Broadway play, so I'm, of course, you know, petrified to do it," he said. "But it's not such a bad thing being 63 and doing something that you don't feel both your feet are firmly on the ground."

"Good Night, And Good Luck" is set to begin previews on March 12 at the Winter Garden Theatre, marking a significant new chapter in Clooney’s already storied career.