There was a good reason George Clooney finally became a breakout star when he landed the role of pediatrician Dr. Doug Ross on NBC’s medical drama ER in 1994. His character was incredibly handsome with a devilish personality, and proved to be quite the heartbreaker. Kind of like former-ladies man George himself! The 59-year-old’s wife Amal Clooney, 43, is now getting to know Dr. Ross thanks to streaming ER. She’s finding out that her husband played a bit of a womanizing dog when it came to the ladies, even though he was so wonderful and heroic in saving the lives of children.
The Midnight Sky star made the revelation on the Mar. 8 SmartLess podcast, where he joined hosts Jason Bateman, Will Arnett and Sean Hayes. “My wife is watching them now and it’s getting me in a lot of trouble because I’d forgotten all of the terrible things [his character Doug Ross] was doing picking up on women,” George told the trio.
Ozark star Jason asked him if Amal might start getting new feelings towards her husband based on what a sexy heartbreaker he was on the long running NBC drama, which Clooney exited after season five. “Yeah, that’s not my wife,” George revealed about the human rights attorney, who he’s been blissfully married to since Sept. 2014.
Among other dalliances, Dr. Ross in season two ended up having an affair with his estranged father’s girlfriend. He eventually gave up giving up his womanizing ways after a one night stand with an epileptic woman who didn’t tell him about her condition. She later ended up in the E.R. at the show’s (Chicago) County General Hospital where she died. Doug realized he never so much as knew her name, despite sleeping with her. Hmm…we wonder if Amal has made it that far into the show yet?
The good news for Amal is that experience made Dr. Ross have a serious come to Jesus type of moment where he stopped dating. The character ended up getting back together with former love and head nurse Carol Hathaway, played by Julianna Marguiles, much to the delight of fans. Dr. Ross was written off the show as moving to Seattle at the end of season five, as Clooney pursed a career in film.
He was later reunited with Carol when Clooney returned for a cameo in season six, seen working on a boat behind his Seattle house. She was determined to find out if her “soulmate” still loved her the way she did, and the episode closed with the two in a passionate and loving reunion kiss. It was also Julia’s final ER scene, as she exited the show on that happy note. Now that should make Amal forgive her husband’s character for any of his other previous womanizing misdeeds.