George Clooney makes history: for the first time, a Broadway play will be broadcast live on a national television network. On Saturday, June 7, the actor will stage Good Night, and Good Luck—based on his celebrated 2005 film—live on CNN and CNN International. The play, which chronicles journalist Edward R. Murrow’s battle against McCarthyism in the 1950s, will also be streamed on CNN.com at 7 p.m. ET.
The play has already won over audiences and critics, breaking box office records and garnering five Tony Award nominations, including one to Clooney for best actor in a leading role. “Live TV. Buckle up,” the actor commented, underscoring the urgency and relevance of Murrow’s message at a time when—just as then—the press is under attack.
“I can’t tell you how exciting it is to do something never attempted before. CNN is the perfect place to tell this story of courage to a much wider audience than we could have ever imagined,” Clooney said in the press release.
In an earlier interview with CNN’s Jake Tapper, Clooney reiterated the importance of journalism as a pillar of democracy, quoting Murrow’s own words:
“We must not confuse dissent with disloyalty. We must always remember that an accusation is not proof and that a conviction is based on evidence and due process. We will not walk in fear of each other. We will not be driven by fear in an age of unreasonableness.”
“I think these are extraordinarily powerful words that express who we are when we give our best,” Clooney commented.
The portrayal comes at a particularly significant time, when the former Trump administration has repeatedly attacked the media, excluding outlets like the Associated Press from official events and seeking to eliminate public funding for NPR and PBS.
Clooney, a well-known Democratic Party supporter, has repeatedly criticized the president, defending press freedom and the role of independent journalism.
