George Clooney: I Used To Be Tony Bennett’s Driver

George Clooney may command $15 million a movie nowadays, but he hasn’t forgotten his early days … as Tony Bennett’s driver.

News that Clooney used to play chauffeur for Bennett emerged from a chance meeting on the Oscars red carpet. The 50-year-old actor, arm-in-arm with girlfriend Stacy Keibler, bumped into the legendary crooner outside the Hollywood and Highlands Centre on Sunday.

“Tony, this is Stacy,” said George to Tony, as he introduced his girlfriend. “I was his driver when I was 19,” Clooney told Keibler.

Like any good red carpet gossip hound, Billy Bush from Access Hollywood overheard this, and enquired further. According to Clooney, “I did [serve as his driver] – for about three weeks.”

When Bush asked about Clooney’s chauffeuring skills, Clooney interjected: “He doesn’t remember. I was Rosemary’s [Clooney] nephew.” This seemed to flick a light on in Bennett’s head: “[George] was very good. He had to tell me about it many years later. He actually drove me somewhere and I didn’t know who he was.”

As Clooney prepared to leave the scene, he told Bennett, “I’ll still drive you anywhere you wanna go.”

Clooney wasn’t drowning in awards himself last night, though The Descendants, a film in which the actor stars, did win an Academy Award for Best Adapted Screenplay. Yet Clooney wasn’t moaning – he told Access Hollywood that he’d already brought his own gold statuette – a reference to Kiebler, who was rocking a strapless and slinky gold Marchesa gown. Being compared to a statue’s a compliment … right?

Don’t forget you can catch up with the full list of Oscars 2012 winners here!

[Via Access Hollywood]