Tony Gilroy on George Clooney

Director Tony Gilroy's film Michael Clayton is certainly one of the more popular films on this year's Oscar ballot, nominated for Best Picture, Directing, Supporting Actor and Actress and Lead Actor. That last category has Michael Clayton star George Clooney going head to head with some worthy competitors, including a heavily favored Daniel Day-Lewis. Clooney himself thinks he has no shot to win. We, at TIME, beg to differ. Director Tony Gilroy offers his thoughts on his leading man and makes, if not a compelling case for a win, a case to put him down in your Oscar pool on principle:

Tony Gilroy on today's celebrity culture

The job is different than it used to be. They used to be protected, kept behind the wall. Movie stars had a big backstage area that they used to keep to themselves, that's been eroded. It makes the job that much more difficult...yet the ultimate job remains the same, in the end you have to go into a room and pretend to be somebody else with a camera in your face, and that hasn't changed.

On how Clooney pulls off being a celebrity

He's astonishing. Look at how many people aren't pulling it off. It's one of the things that makes it so difficult now. People complain about movie stars, particularly leading men, where's the mystery? George is working from such a short list. I've been around George for three years and I'm continually impressed by how he does it. He doesn't waste a lot of energy pretending to be somebody else. He doesn't put up a front — there's not multiple Georges.

On directing Clooney

What gets lost about conversations about George is he's an amazing, intelligent, soulful actor...His temperament is just superb: he's a collaborator, he knows what your day is like as a director and he's directed. He cares about all the performers that are there, he cares about the crew, he's part of the team and not in some f---- up 'I want everybody to love me' kind of way. He really does care about being part of the team.

On counter-casting Clooney in Michael Clayton

...I cast Sydney [Pollack] to make sure there would be someone who off-camera would have the possibility of dominating him or be a good combatant.

On what he tells people about Clooney

My stock answer is, from the last two and half year since I got to know him a bit is, it's really simple: you know him already. It's not like the so many public figures you meet who are really a different person. ...There's no jarring disconnect between the George Clooney that you expect to meet or the one you come to know through the media and the guy you end up working or drinking with or struggling with. It's the same guy. And that's pretty unusual.