George Clooney on 'Monuments Men': Everybody Worked for Super, Crazy Cheap

George Clooney is ready for his close up on the cover of Variety magazine’s latest issue.

Here’s what the 52-year-old Monuments Men star had to share with the mag:

On having no political aspirations: “I like the ability to shine light and make it loud. But boy, the idea of administrating and legislating. What a nightmare.”

On the Monuments Men cast taking pay cuts for the film: “If you pay everybody a full boatload, it’s a $150 million film. You just can’t do it. Everybody worked for super cheap, like crazy cheap.”

On deciding to make Monuments Men: “I had some understanding that Hitler was stealing sh*t. I didn’t understand he was taking all of it. They don’t teach that in school. That’s why I loved the story. We figured at this point, we’ve done so many WWII movies, there really aren’t any new ones. You have to get around to someone as smart as Quentin (Tarantino with Inglourious Bastards), who can burn Hitler in a movie theater to do something different.”

For more from George, visit Variety.com. Bigger cover inside…