New York, New York--(Newsfile Corp. - September 2, 2026) - Kaplan Fox & Kilsheimer LLP announces that a class action lawsuit has been filed against Taboola.com Ltd. ("Taboola.com" or the "Company") (NASDAQ: TBLA) on behalf of investors that purchased or otherwise acquired Taboola.com securities between May 6, 2026 and August 4, 2026 (the "Class Period").
If you are an investor in Taboola.com and have suffered losses, you may CLICK HERE to contact us. You may also contact Kaplan Fox by emailing [email protected] or by calling (646) 315-9003.
DEADLINE REMINDER: If you are a member of the proposed Class, you may move the court no later than October 20, 2026 to serve as a lead plaintiff for the purported class. If you have losses we encourage you to contact us to learn more about the lead plaintiff process. You need not seek to become a lead plaintiff in order to share in any possible recovery.
The complaint alleges, among other things, that throughout the Class Period Taboola.com and the other Defendants, misled investors regarding the value of the Company's publisher relationships.
On August 5, 2026, according to the complaint, Taboola.com reported second quarter 2026 earnings, including revenue of $476.8 million, falling short of previously issued second quarter guidance of $492-$505 million. Additionally, on the same date, the complaint alleges that Taboola.com held an earnings call during which the Company's Chief Executive Officer said that the quarter experienced headwinds due to the "decision to remove low-quality publishers that were not delivering value for advertisers."
On this news, Taboola.com's share price fell $1.46, or 27.5%, to close at $3.84 per share on August 5, 2026.
WHY CONTACT KAPLAN FOX?
Kaplan Fox & Kilsheimer LLP is a nationally recognized law firm focused on complex litigation, with offices in New York, Oakland, Los Angeles, Chicago, and New Jersey. Founded in 1956, the firm has spent more than 50 years prosecuting securities, antitrust, and consumer protection actions in federal and state courts nationwide, recovering more than $10 billion for clients and the classes it has represented.
Kaplan Fox is widely regarded as one of the nation's premier plaintiffs' securities litigation firms and has received recognition from Chambers and Partners, Benchmark Litigation, Super Lawyers, and Lawdragon. Serving as lead or co-lead counsel in many landmark cases, the firm has secured some of the largest recoveries in the history of securities litigation, including a $2.425 billion recovery on behalf of Bank of America shareholders in In re Bank of America—the largest recovery ever obtained for claims under Section 14(a) of the Securities Exchange Act—$800 million recovered for the Arkansas Teacher Retirement System and other pension funds in ATRS v. Allianz Global Investors, and a $475 million settlement in In re Merrill Lynch.
For decades, Kaplan Fox has represented public pension funds, institutional investors, businesses, and individuals in high-stakes litigation. Through its successful advocacy and precedent-setting victories, the firm has helped shape important areas of securities and corporate law while advancing accountability and protecting investor interests.
This press release may be considered Attorney Advertising in some jurisdictions under the applicable law and ethical rules. Past results do not guarantee future outcomes.
If you have any questions about this Notice, your rights, or your interests, please contact:
Contacting or submitting information to Kaplan Fox & Kilsheimer LLP does not create an attorney-client relationship, nor an obligation on the part of Kaplan Fox to retain you as a client.
MIDTERMS HORSERACE REMAINS TIGHT AT 51-49 WITH DEMOCRATS HOLDING A 2-POINT LEAD, BUT LEAD FLIPS TO REPUBLICANS +2 AMONG LIKELY MIDTERM VOTERS
LESS THAN HALF OF VOTERS HAVE MADE A DECISION ON THEIR MIDTERMS VOTE, WITH 69% SAYING THEY WILL VOTE
…%!s()
HALF OF AMERICANS BELIEVE THE DEMOCRATIC PARTY IS BEING TAKEN OVER BY THE FAR LEFT AND 45% SAY THE GOP IS BEING TAKEN OVER BY THE FAR RIGHT
THREE-FOURTHS OF VOTERS WANT BOTH DEMOCRATS AND REPUBLICANS TO REJECT EXTREMIST VOICES WITHIN THEIR PARTIES
A PLURALITY OF VOTERS RELY ON SOCIAL MEDIA FOR INFORMATION ON POLITICS, EVEN AS 55% BELIEVE FEEDS ARE BEING MANIPULATED BY FOREIGN POWERS
56% OF VOTERS NOW SEE AI AS AN ECONOMIC PROBLEM, AND CLOSE TO 6 IN 10 SAY IT WILL LEAD TO MASSIVE UNEMPLOYMENT
TWO-THIRDS OF VOTERS WANT THE U.S. AND CANADA TO COME TO A NEW TRADE AGREEMENT; MAJORITY PRIORITIZES MAINTAINING A POSITIVE RELATIONSHIP AND LOWER PRICES FOR CONSUMERS
66% OF VOTERS EXPECT AN IRANIAN UPRISING IN THE NEXT 6 MONTHS DUE TO U.S. ECONOMIC AND MILITARY PRESSURE ON THE CURRENT REGIME
NEW YORK CITY, NY AND CAMBRIDGE, MA / ACCESS Newswire / September 2, 2026 / Stagwell (NASDAQ:STGW) today released the results of the August Harvard CAPS / Harris poll, a monthly collaboration between the Center for American Political Studies at Harvard (CAPS) and the Harris Poll and HarrisX.
President Donald Trump's approval rating is at 44%, 2 points up from July. His job approval is highest on fighting crime in America's cities (48%) and immigration (47%), and lowest on handling inflation (37%) and tariffs and trade (38%). This month's poll also covered public opinion on the economy, midterm issues and messaging, U.S.-Canada trade, and conflicts in the Middle East. Download the key results here.
"Voters are feeling slightly more optimistic across the board, with Trump, Democratic, and GOP approval on the up," said Mark Penn, Co-Director of the Harvard CAPS / Harris poll and Stagwell Chairman and CEO. "They recognize the weight of the upcoming midterm elections and want to hear from their politicians on inflation, fraud, and AI."
VOTERS FEELING SLIGHTLY MORE OPTIMISTIC ABOUT THE COUNTRY
37% of voters say the country is on the right track (+2 pts., July 2026).
48% of voters say the U.S. economy is strong today (+2), and 32% say their personal financial situation is improving (+2).
The Republican Party approval rating is at 45% (+2), while the Democratic Party approval rating is at 47% (+4), its highest level since October 2024. Congressional approval is at 34% (+2).
Among key politicians today, voters have a more favorable view of Robert F. Kennedy Jr. (+4 net favorable), and Marco Rubio (+4), and a more unfavorable view of Abdul El-Sayed (-18), Chuck Schumer (-17), and Zohran Mamdani (-14).
Inflation and the economy remain voters' top concerns, though the economy ticked down in salience (-3 pts., July 2026) while the U.S.-Iran conflict increased in salience (+5), with 20% of voters citing it is one of the most important issues facing the country today.
MAJORITY OF TRUMP POLICIES CONTINUE TO SEE STRONG SUPPORT
10 out of 13 key Trump policy positions continue to see majority support. His most popular policies are lowering prescription drug prices (84% support), deporting illegal immigrants who have committed crimes (74%), and requiring proof of citizenship to vote (70%).
Trump's least popular policy positions include placing a 15% tariff on imports from all countries (40%), allowing immigration authorities to access information on low-income families (48%), and eliminating mail-in voting (50%).
DEMOCRATS HOLD A 2-PT. EDGE IN CONGRESSIONAL HORSERACE BUT REPUBLICANS ARE 2-PT. AHEAD AMONG LIKELY MIDTERM VOTERS
69% of voters say they are planning to vote in the upcoming 2026 Congressional midterm elections (Democrats: 57%; Republicans: 63%; Independents: 38%).
The horserace is split 51-49 among general voters with Democrats holding a 2-pt. lead with 54% of Independents leaning Democrat, but among likely midterm voters, Republicans hold a 2-pt. lead.
40% of voters plan to vote in-person on Election Day, while 24% plan to vote in-person before, and 19% plan to vote by absentee or mail-in ballot.
46% of voters say their vote is decided for the midterms, while 27% say they are leaning toward certain candidates but could still change their mind. 19% of voters remain undecided, including 28% of Independents.
82% say this midterm election is important, with 51% saying it is extremely important.
Looking to 2028, Kamala Harris (+5) and J.D. Vance (+2) remain the most favored candidates for president among voters from their respective parties.
INFLATION, FRAUD, AND AI CONCERNS ARE KEY ISSUES HEADING INTO MIDTERMS
51% of voters say the Democratic Party is being taken over by the far left. 55% of voters say the Republican Party being taken over by the far right is an exaggerated view.
77% of voters say the Democratic Party should reject extremists like Hasan Piker, and 75% of voters believe the Republican Party should reject extremists like Candace Owens, including a majority across political parties.
55% of voters say the Trump administration is more responsible for inflation over the last few years over Biden.
56% of voters say people who are committing fraud and getting payments they don't deserve is more of a concern than the rich getting more.
56% of voters say AI is more of a problem for our economy than an answer to our problems (Democrats: 63%; Republicans: 45%; Independents: 63%). 58% believe it will create tens of millions of unemployed people.
38% of voters, a plurality, say they rely on social media for information on politics. 31% say they rely on network news, and 23% say they rely on cable TV.
55% of voters think social media is being manipulated by foreign powers to affect our elections.
MIDTERM MESSAGING THAT TAKES TO TASK THE OTHER PARTY TESTS MOST EFFECTIVE AMONG VOTERS
Among key tested Democratic messaging, voters find cost of living and women's rights messages to be the most believable, with messaging involving direct attacks on Trump testing more effective.
Among key tested Republican messaging, voters find messages involving attacks on Democrats for woke DEI policies, open borders, and higher taxes most believable. Messaging attacking Democrats on being too far left tested effective as well.
VOTERS BELIEVE U.S. AND CANADA SHOULD REACH A NEW TRADE AGREEMENT; PRIORITIZE MAINTAINING A POSITIVE RELATIONSHIP AND LOWER PRICES FOR CONSUMERS
60% of voters say it is more important to keep prices lower for consumers than protect U.S. industries and jobs, including a majority across political parties.
58% of voters say maintaining a positive U.S.-Canada relationship is more important than cracking down on any trade imbalance between the two and protecting American jobs (Democrats: 74%, Republicans: 42%, Independents: 59%).
63% of voters have heard about U.S. trade negotiations with Canada.
64% of voters believe U.S. trade with Canada is mostly fair, though 67% say the countries should reach a new trade agreement.
68% of voters say the U.S. is more responsible for the breakdown in trade negotiations last week, and 55% say the U.S. is not justified in imposing 50% tariffs on Canadian goods. 59% of voters say Canada's matching 50% tariff on American goods was a reasonable response.
62% of voters expect the 50% tariff on Canadian goods will raise prices.
68% of voters oppose changing the name of Lake Ontario to "Lake America."
TWO-THIRDS OF VOTERS EXPECT IRANIAN UPRISING DUE TO U.S. PRESSURE ON CURRENT REGIME
65% of voters say they are following developments in the U.S.-Iran conflict closely. 43%, a plurality, believe the U.S. is winning.
65% of voters say Iranians are not serious in their negotiations and are just working to buy time, including a majority across political parties.
69% of voters say Iran should not be allowed to control the Strait of Hormuz, including a majority across political parties. 72% say the U.S. should resume use of force, sanctions, and blockades if Iran does not give up control of the Strait.
57% of voters say Trump's handling of the Strait is increasing the risk of a longer and wider conflict. 53% believe Trump should be willing to compromise if it reduces risk of further conflict.
66% of voters say it is likely there will be an uprising of the Iranian people in the next 6 months due to current U.S. economic and military pressure on the Iranian regime.
53% of voters oppose Trump's handling of the conflict so far.
MOST VOTERS CONTINUE TO SUPPORT ISRAEL OVER HAMAS, BELIEVING TERRORIST GROUPS ARE ACTIVELY TRYING TO DESTROY IT
70% of voters continue to support Israel over Hamas.
76% of voters believe there are terrorist groups on the borders of Israel today, including a majority across political parties and age groups. 42%, a plurality, believe the groups are trying to destroy Israel.
72% of voters say Hezbollah should be required to disarm as part of a long-term peace agreement between Israel and Lebanon.
74% of voters say Israel has a right to exist as the Jewish homeland.
The August Harvard CAPS / Harris poll survey was conducted online within the United States on August 28-30, 2026, among 2,100 registered voters by The Harris Poll and HarrisX.
About The Harris Poll & HarrisX
The Harris Poll is a global consulting and market research firm that strives to reveal the authentic values of modern society to inspire leaders to create a better tomorrow. It works with clients in three primary areas: building twenty-first-century corporate reputation, crafting brand strategy and performance tracking, and earning organic media through public relations research. One of the longest-running surveys in the U.S., The Harris Poll has tracked public opinion, motivations, and social sentiment since 1963, and is now part of Stagwell, the challenger holding company built to transform marketing.
HarrisX is a technology-driven market research and data analytics company that conducts multi-method research in the U.S. and over 40 countries around the world on behalf of Fortune 100 companies, public policy institutions, global leaders, NGOs and philanthropic organizations. HarrisX was the most accurate pollster of the 2020 U.S. presidential election.
About the Harvard Center for American Political Studies The Center for American Political Studies (CAPS) is committed to and fosters the interdisciplinary study of U.S. politics. Governed by a group of political scientists, sociologists, historians, and economists within the Faculty of Arts and Sciences at Harvard University, CAPS drives discussion, research, public outreach, and pedagogy about all aspects of U.S. politics. CAPS encourages cutting-edge research using a variety of methodologies, including historical analysis, social surveys, and formal mathematical modeling, and it often cooperates with other Harvard centers to support research training and encourage cross-national research about the United States in comparative and global contexts. More information at https://caps.gov.harvard.edu/.
Paris, France--(Newsfile Corp. - September 2, 2026) - During the 2026 Esports World Cup (EWC) in Paris, CrossFire (CF)-China and Asia's major competitive shooting title-took center stage as one of the event's headline disciplines at a major international esports event. China's BS (White Shark) swept TL 3-0 to claim the championship, with BS player N9 earning the Grand Finals Most Valuable Player (MVP) award. The result once again placed CNCF (CF's China division) under the international esports spotlight.
… %!s()
During the event, the Tencent CF Esports team held a closed-door meeting with officials from France's Ministry of Sports and the Ministry for Europe and Foreign Affairs at the Ministry of Sports offices. The French delegation was led by Emilie Montané, Deputy Chief of Staff of the Minister's Office at the Ministry of Sports, accompanied by Angèle Chapoullié of the Sports Economy Office, with Marie Roy, Special Envoy for Sports Ambassador Affairs at the Ministry for Europe and Foreign Affairs, also in attendance. The Chinese delegation was headed by Darren Gu (Gu Yue), Publishing Producer of the CrossFire IP and Head of CrossFire Series Esports Operations. The meeting was moderated by Xavier Spède, former Editor-in-Chief of L'Équipe.
The dialogue centered on mutual learning between Chinese and French sporting philosophies, esports industry cooperation, youth cultural exchange, and positive engagement. At the close of the meeting, the two sides exchanged gifts to mark the occasion and reached a consensus to pursue further discussions on concrete topics including future event hosting in France, club collaboration, and youth exchange programs. On the subject of large-scale event organization, the French side shared its practical experience in delivering a high-caliber international event within an extremely compressed 45-day preparation cycle, and provided specific explanations regarding visa facilitation and rights protection mechanisms for cross-border participating players. On event cooperation, the French side-based on its strong recognition of CF's global event scale and competitive achievements-proactively proposed in-depth discussions on future CF event hosting in France and long-term development directions. The Chinese side noted that French clubs such as PSG Esports, Team Vitality, and Karmine Corp have already established CF divisions and participated in international competitions, providing a practical foundation for deeper China-France esports club collaboration. The Chinese delegation expressed willingness to actively explore broader cooperation possibilities on this basis.
During the meeting, the French side expressed recognition of CF's international competitive achievements and discussed potential measures that could facilitate the hosting of international esports events in France, including visa procedures, administrative processes and other applicable forms of event support. The two sides also exchanged views on the broader policy and operational environment for international esports events and potential areas for continued cooperation. French representatives expressed hope that CF esports could contribute to further discussions around the development and hosting of international esports events in France.
The following day, a cross-disciplinary roundtable themed "From Family to Arena, From Reality to Digital: A Cross-Boundary Dialogue on Esports, Sports, and Youth Culture" became a notable extension of the visit. Representatives from five sectors-the French Veterans' Association, a competitive shooting athlete's family, the French Shooting Federation (FF-Tir), a veterans' esports promotion organization, and the French Video Game Industry Association (AFJV)-offered their respective interpretations of "everyday heroes" from the perspectives of family guardianship, competitive training, mass promotion, team glory, and industry vision. They unanimously agreed that the spirit of perseverance, passion, and teamwork championed by CrossFire esports is highly aligned with these values. In closing, Shi Nan, Second Secretary of the Cultural Section at the Chinese Embassy in France, remarked: "CF esports has set a benchmark for going global during this Paris chapter," adding that she "looks forward to CF esports setting sail."
Figure 3-Emily Montanet, Deputy Chief of Staff to the French Minister of Sport; Angel Chapoulier, Director of the Sport Economy Bureau; Marie Roy, Special Envoy for Sport Ambassador Affairs at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs for Europe; and Gu Yue, Tencent's Crossfire IP Publishing Producer and Head of Esports Business, attended the meeting.
During the exchange, Darren Gu stated: "We are willing to use CF as a 'key, bridge, and benchmark' to promote the regular operation of more Chinese esports events between China and France." He extended a sincere invitation to France's Ministry of Sports to visit China and inspect CFPL league venues firsthand, to gain a direct understanding of China's esports league operations and industry vitality. He emphasized that CF has always placed fair competition, youth development, and cultural exchange at the core of its event operations. Zhang Yuchen, Head of CrossFire Esports Operations, stated in an interview that the esports format represented by CF connects both a vast youth demographic and injects cities with a youthful, internationalized new identity.
Since its launch in China in 2008, CF has accumulated over one billion registered users and has consistently ranked among the most popular competitive shooting titles in China and across Asia. Its competition ecosystem is structured in progressive tiers: the Hundred City League spans over a hundred cities with local government support, promoting broad-based esports participation; the CrossFire Pro League (CFPL) stands as one of China's most influential FPS professional leagues; and the CrossFire Stars (CFS) World Finals elevates the competition to the international stage.
From the award ceremony at the Grand Palais in Paris to the closed-door dialogues at France's Ministry of Sports and the Ministry for Europe and Foreign Affairs, Chinese esports IPs represented by CF are advancing from "product internationalization" to "cultural internationalization" and "ecosystem internationalization." As esports emerges as a new form of sports culture, what it connects will extend beyond victories and defeats on the competitive stage-it will be a resonance among different civilizations around the shared values of perseverance, respect, and friendship. This, in turn, reflects how esports, as an emerging form of sports culture, is becoming a new bond for promoting industrial and people-to-people exchanges between China and France.
You're currently following this author!
Want to unfollow? Unsubscribe via the link in your email.
and
Allie Kelly
… %!s()
You're currently following this author!
Want to unfollow? Unsubscribe via the link in your email.
Bond yields are spiking over concerns about inflation, renewed tension in the Middle East, and government fiscal outlooks.
NYSE
With America's debt mounting and oil prices on the rise again, the bond market has been gripped by a sell-off this week.
Market jitters were first triggered last week, following Scott Bessent's plan to have the Treasury as much as double its long-dated bond purchases. The move briefly quelled yields, but they rose again as investors feared the government wasn't tackling the big fiscal issues that have been driving yields higher all year.
In the days that followed, a flare-up of US-Iran tension has driven oil back within striking distance of $100 per barrel, throwing fuel on inflation fears and recalibrating rate outlooks.
The 10-year Treasury yield on Wednesday was about 4.8%, the highest since 2023.
From consumer prices to personal finance, here's how the big bond market sell-off could impact your wallet.
What it means for your investment account
Higher bond yields can present a problem for stocks for a couple of reasons. For one, they offer a compelling alternative to equities. The thinking is, why risk the stock market when you can get a nearly risk-free rate of 5% socking your money into Treasurys.
The other reason has to do with higher borrowing costs and credit risk for companies. A higher cost of debt eats into earnings. For companies with shakier balance sheets, rising borrowing costs could threaten the overall health of the company.
All of this means one thing: potentially weaker stock returns. The stock market has already shed some of its summer gains as government bonds have convulsed this week, but more volatility could be coming. 5% has been the threshold to watch for the 10-year to know if more pain might be coming for stocks.
For stock investors looking to hedge rising yields, BlackRock's top US strategist this week told Business Insider to focus on dividend-paying stocks and quality stocks, defined as shares of companies with stable earnings growth, high free cash flow, strong balance sheets, and strong competitive advantage.
Consumers could see higher mortgage rates and a tougher job market
It's not just investors who need to know what's going on in the bond market. Higher yields have implications for Main Street, too.
The bond market is signaling that it sees higher rates on the horizon for a variety of reasons. For consumers, that's important because it suggests that the Federal Reserve likely won't cut interest rates soon. Chair Kevin Warsh has held rates steady this summer, though they remain historically elevated. Some economists — and Fed governors — expect at least one hike this year. Some banks see as many as three hikes through early 2027.
Warsh said in his Jackson Hole keynote address last week that his top priority is taming inflation.
According to Marcus Sturdivant Sr., managing member at advisory firm, The ABC Squared, bond market volatility will impact anyone with adjustable rate payments, most likely those dealing with mortgage or auto loans.
"The cost of borrowing for Main Street and the requirements to obtain capital will tighten or restrict," he told Business Insider.
Treasury yields influence a variety of consumer loan products, and their rise could lead to more expensive mortgage rates, auto loans, credit card rates, and personal loans.
However, a silver lining may be higher rates paid on savings accounts.
The already-sluggish real estate market in many areas could be poised for a sharper slowdown. Higher mortgage rates mean higher monthly payments. The 30-year mortgage rate edged toward 6.8% this week, pumping up borrowing costs while home prices remain elevated. Higher mortgage rates could also exacerbate the "lock-in effect," with current owners opting to stay put rather than move and buy a new home at higher rates than their current mortgage.
Business leaders, meanwhile, might find themselves pinching pennies. The ripple effects of a bond sell-off and high interest rates will mean that it costs more to borrow money, leaving companies with less money to hire workers and offer raises. Job seekers could see a slowdown in an already brutal market.
Read next
Samuel O'Brient
You're currently following this author!
Want to unfollow? Unsubscribe via the link in your email.
Samuel O'Brient is an experienced financial markets and business journalist who has written extensively on a wide range of topics involving economics, technology and public policy. At Business Insider, he covers important macro and micro economic stories, including takes from leading economists and hedge fund managers, breaking IPOs, corporate bankruptcies, meme stocks and short-selling. He also writes on other markets such as crypto, oil and real estate.He has interviewed many of the market’s most influential voices, ranging from top economists such as Mark Zandi and Richard Thaler to prominent investors including Danny Moses, Andrew Left, Anthony Scaramucci, Louis Navellier and Grant Cardone.Programs such as LiveNOW from Fox , Taking Stock and Ticker News have had Samuel on to discuss stock market and economic developments. His reporting has been cited by The New York Times DealBook, Bloomberg Radio, Forbes, Entrepreneur, Gizmodo and TheFutureParty.Samuel began at InvestorPlace, covering investing, retail trading and macro economic trends. Prior to joining Business Insider, he served as a technology markets reporter at TheStreet. He is a graduate of Sarah Lawrence College and Trinity College Dublin.Samuel's work has appeared in publications such as TipRanks, EV and Observer. When he isn't chasing down stories, he can often be found browsing book and record shops. To reach Samuel, email him at [email protected] or connect with him on LinkedIn. He is also on Signal as Samuel Clemens.
Allie Kelly
You're currently following this author!
Want to unfollow? Unsubscribe via the link in your email.
Allie Kelly is a reporter on Business Insider’s economy team, where she covers housing and affordability in America’s biggest cities. Her latest project — called “Cost of the City” — is an ongoing deep dive into Mayor Zohran Mamdani’s agenda and life in New York. Allie previously worked on a yearlong investigation into the impact of rising cancer cases on young adults, and a series about retirees' reflections on money and loneliness. She also covers the Federal Reserve.Allie is a frequent guest on various TV and radio programs and a contributor to Business Insider’s Big Business and quicksplainer video series.Before joining Business Insider, Allie covered breaking news at The Dallas Morning News and wrote and edited for The Trace. She is an alum of The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.
Hollywood icon and Lake Como resident George Clooney was the toast of the Venice Film Festival‘s opening ceremony Wednesday evening, receiving an honorary Golden Lion for lifetime achievement and a hero’s tribute that, at times, had the icon tearing up, and same for his emotional wife Amal Clooney.
… %!s()
The prize was presented to Clooney by his longtime friend and occasional co-star Laura Dern. The pair first worked together more than 40 years ago on the ill-fated horror sequel Grizzly II: Revenge, shot in Hungary when both were just starting out. Dern has since described Clooney as one of her oldest and closest friends, recalling that he looked out for her like an older brother during the troubled production.
The moment was loosely evocative of Clooney’s recent performance in Jay Kelly, a comedy-drama about the personal travails of a Clooney-esque movie star that culminates with the character receiving a lifetime honor at a swanky Italian film festival. That film, which co-starred Dern, premiered in Venice last year, and the ceremony found festival organizers playing an extended clip of the film that mirrored the ceremony that was unfolding in front of the real thing.
Dern kicked off the tribute following the career spanning highlight reel. She called it a privilege to be in attendance to honor her longtime friend. She hailed him as a talent who has been nominated for Academy Awards in six different categories, as a “man of integrity” and someone who is of service in his activism and his fellow actors and filmmakers. “He’s the best friend you could ever have and the funniest person you will ever meet,” Dern said, adding that among his many accolades, he’s been voted People magazine’s Sexiest Man Alive not once but twice. “Two times,” she said, doubling it up for emphasis. “Two times!”
In addition to his People repeat, Dern said that Clooney is the ultimate teammate while on set. “You immediately become a better actor. He is a lifeline to pure truth. You are on set with a master. He watches his fellow actors like a hawk. You can feel George rooting for you,” she said. “He only wants everyone to win, and like a camp counselor, he shows up every day reminding us that movie making is a bliss-filled privilege.”
Clooney holds his Golden Lion while walking with Dern during the opening ceremony on Sept. 2, 2026.
Daniele Venturelli/WireImage
Dern didn’t want to deliver the tribute on her own so she put out the call to some members of his inner circle so they could offer some praise, too, and she read personal notes from Brad Pitt, Adam Sandler, Steven Soderbegh, CAA partner and his longtime agent of 25 years, Bryan Lourd, Alexander Payne and Noah Baumbach.
Said Lourd: “The privilege of being his friend and partner in life in film is one of the great gifts and honors of my life. He has shared his heart, his brain, his talent, his [life] with all of us. He is singular and truly one of the greats.”
Said Payne: “What makes George Clooney such a great actor, director and citizen are his humanity and compassion. Not only that, but for us movie buffs, meeting George is the closest you will ever get to meeting Clark Gable or Cary Grant and what that must have been like. He’s just one of those guys. But when you meet him, he makes you feel like the most important person in the room. He remembers everything, tells jokes, pours great wine, treats everybody the same, makes everybody laugh, shares brutal gossip.”
Said Sandler: “Dern, make sure they know there is nobody who thinks of others ever like George.”
Said Pitt: “This pigeon-toed kid from Kentucky, elder statesman, who when you can’t get Brad Pitt, you know Clooney will show up because he never met an award he wouldn’t run to — he’s getting a lifetime achievement award? So what? Why do we love George Clooney? He’s a rogue, a prankster, an altruist, an actor, an athlete, the only guy you want in a crisis, a father, a husband, a global citizen, a defender of justice and a really bad dancer.”
Though he didn’t bust any moves, Clooney did deliver a powerful speech that had all eyes on him following a lengthy standing ovation.
He kicked it off with something light. “You know when they tell you that you’re going to be getting a lifetime achievement award, there are really only two things that come to mind,” he explained. “The first is what an incredible honor this is. And then the second is, do they know something that I don’t?”
He then got serious by honoring those that got him to where he is at this place in his career when he can accept such an honor.
“I’ve been an actor for 45 years now, and looking back, it sounds like it’s intentional, like I had a plan, but I didn’t. For the most part, I was just trying to pay the rent, avoid moving back to Kentucky to cut tobacco, which is what I used to do. When you start reflecting on the years, you realize you really didn’t have a career as much as a series of happy accidents,” he said. “Somebody gave me my first job, somebody else gave me my second job. A director saw something in me that I was yet to see. A writer wrote better lines than I deserved. A crew member made me look like I knew what I was doing. A star, like Laura, was kind enough to let me learn from them. And over time, you begin to realize that nobody arrives anywhere on their own.”
He said he’s learned a lot over the years by coming to places like Venice and experiencing world cinema. “Nobody laughs in a different language. Nobody cries in a different language. Parents worry the same. Kids dream the same. Love looks remarkably similar in language, which makes it hard to believe that we’re as different as we’re constantly being told. We’re living through a moment in time where people in charge, the people with the most money are telling us to fear one another,” he said, nodding to the fraught political times. “But we know better than that, don’t we?”
Then he delivered the exclamation point: “The first people that authoritarians tried to shut down are not politicians. They’re journalists who ask questions. They’re the artists who refuse simple answers. They’re the filmmakers, writers, actors and musicians who insist that someone you have never met is deserving of your empathy. Stories are always dangerous to people who peddle in fear. The people who are afraid of books and music and stories, they’re never the heroes in history. So yes, movies don’t stop wars. They don’t lower inflation. They don’t fix elections, but they do do something remarkable. They remind us that a stranger is never a stranger and that he might just be the hero in somebody else’s story. And if we can still sit together in the dark and care about people that we have never met, I think maybe we’ll be OK.”
Clooney’s history with Venice — both the festival and the city — runs uncommonly deep, though. His transition from television star to major movie leading man gained momentum at Venice when Steven Soderbergh’s Out of Sight screened at the festival in 1998, marking Clooney’s first appearance on the Lido. Over the intervening years, Clooney became a Venice staple, with some of the strongest films of his career debuting there, including the contemporary classic Michael Clayton (2007), the Coen Bros’ Burn After Reading (2008) and Alfonso Cuarón’s Gravity, among numerous others. Clooney’s transition from leading man to director also received direct support from Venice, as his breakthrough Good Night, and Good Luck premiered in competition and won the festival’s screenplay prize for Clooney and Grant Heslov, on its way to earning six Oscar nominations. And on a more personal note, George and Amal Clooney brought the world’s eye to the city on the water when they held their lavish wedding celebrations at the Aman Venice Hotel in 2014.
“I’ve had so many extraordinary moments in Venice,” Clooney said in a statement when news of his career honor was unveiled in July. “This festival is without question my favorite and to be given the Golden Lion is a tremendous honor. It also probably means I’m old, but I’ll take it.”
He also took his time to soak up the scene and please the throng of fans that had been waiting for him along the corridor, some of whom had started lining up yesterday. Clooney was the rare Hollywood star who greeted the entire crowd of fans from the beginning of the barricade all the way to the far back as he posed for photos, signed autographs and flashed his megawatt smile. His wife, Amal, waited for him near the entrance to the theater as she spent time catching up with Dern and fellow attendee Jewel. Clooney also jumped into the photographer’s pit multiple times to pose with the crush of shutterbugs, even grabbing a camera at one point and snapping a group photo.
Other attendees at the opening night ceremony included Jonathan Bailey, Nicholas Galitzine, Chase Sui Wonders, Nina Dobrev, Zazie Beetz, Alessandra Ambrosio, The Shards star Hayes Warner, Brittany Snow, Owen Thiele, Mary Beth Barone and more.
Clooney’s emotional tribute — which included a musical performance by Tutti Fenomeni with “Love is Not Enough” — was followed by the festival’s opening-night world premiere of Danny Boyle’s Ink, a Rupert Murdoch drama starring Jack O’Connell, Guy Pearce and Claire Foy that is competing for the Golden Lion. Over the next 10 days, Venice will unveil a slate of high-profile competition premieres including Robert Pattinson thriller Primetime, Martin McDonagh’s Wild Horse Nine, Lee Chang-dong’s Possible Love, Hirokazu Kore-eda’s Look Back and Florian Zeller’s Bunker. A seven-member jury led by Maggie Gyllenhaal will choose the Golden Lion and the festival’s other main competition prizes, with the winners unveiled at Venice’s closing ceremony on Sept. 12. %!s()
