George Clooney, Robert Downey Jr. and More Stars Share the Best Advice They’ve Given and Received

Career guidance, pep talks, life lessons: stars share the best advice they’ve gotten from — and given to — their fellow celebs.

Julianne Hough

The former Dancing With the Stars pro got an acting — and life — lesson on the set of her first movie, Burlesque, from none other than Cher! The 37-year-old was having trouble working up tears for a scene, she recalled, when the Oscar winner, 79, took her aside. “She started to tell me how much I deserved to be in this position and in this role and in this movie. All of a sudden, I started to get emotional, and she’s like, ‘Roll the cameras!’” Julianne recently recalled on the Jennifer Hudson Show, adding that it was “one of the coolest experiences I think I’ll ever have.”

Glen Powell

After he was cast in the action-heavy The Running Man, the 37-year-old turned to his Top Gun: Maverick costar and mentor Tom Cruise for advice. What he thought would be a 10-minute chat lasted two and a half hours, as the action legend shared his extensive knowledge. “He also gave me running lessons,” Glen recalled of Tom on The Graham Norton Show, known for the powerful stride that seems to be required in all of his flicks. “He said, ‘You should film yourself running, because you don’t look as cool as you think you do.’ And he was really right!”

Daniel Radcliffe

Passing the wand! The OG Harry Potter had some kind words for Dominic McLaughlin, 11, who’ll play the boy wizard in the upcoming HBO Max series. “I sent him a letter, and he sent me a very sweet note back,” the 36-year-old said on Good Morning America, who played Harry over eight films starting at age 11. “I just wanted to write to him to say, ‘I hope you have the best time, and an even better time than I did. I had a great time, but I hope you have an even better time.’”

George Clooney

The Jay Kelly star recently revealed a piece of advice he received years ago when he introduced himself to the late Paul Newman on the Warner Bros. lot. “He had no idea who I was, but everybody who came by in golf carts was like, ‘Hey George.’ ‘George!’ so bit by bit, he figured out I was successful in the industry in some way,” the 64-year-old recalled to The New York Times. “Then he goes, ‘George, don’t let them keep you at home,’” meaning for the young actor not to let fame isolate him. “Hearing Newman say that, it made sense immediately.”

Robert Downey Jr.

Sean Penn had some wise words for his old friend when the 60-year-old was an acclaimed actor, yet was struggling with addiction. According to Robert, Sean, 65, broke down his door and drove him to rehab. “I remember him saying, ‘You have two reputations. I think you know what both of them are, and I think you’d do well to get rid one of those reputations,’” Robert recalled him saying, per Esquire. “‘If you don’t, it will get rid of the other one.’”