On This Day

"Ocean's Eleven" directed by Steven Soderbergh, starring George Clooney, Brad Pitt, Matt Damon and Julia Roberts premier

"Ocean's Eleven" directed by Steven Soderbergh, starring George Clooney, Brad Pitt, Matt Damon and Julia Roberts premieres in Westwood, California

Steven Andrew Soderbergh ( SOH-dər-burg; born January 14, 1963) is an American film director, producer, screenwriter, cinematographer, and editor. A pioneer of modern independent cinema, Soderbergh later drew acclaim for formally inventive films made within the studio system.

Soderbergh's directorial breakthrough, the indie drama Sex, Lies, and Videotape (1989), lifted him into the public spotlight as a notable presence in the film industry. At 26, Soderbergh became the youngest solo director to win the Palme d'Or at the Cannes Film Festival, and the film garnered worldwide commercial success, as well as numerous accolades. His next five films, including the critically lauded King of the Hill (1993), found limited commercial success.

Historical Significance

Steven Andrew Soderbergh ( SOH-dər-burg; born January 14, 1963) is an American film director, producer, screenwriter, cinematographer, and editor.

Key People

Steven Soderbergh

filmmaker

American filmmaker

– present

George Clooney

actor and filmmaker

American actor and filmmaker

– present

Brad Pitt

actor

American actor

– present

Matt Damon

actor

American actor

– present

Julia Roberts

actress

American actress

– present

Events Before

  1. Gisborne, New Zealand, with a population of approximately 32,754, is the first city in the world to welcome the new Mill

    Gisborne, New Zealand, with a population of approximately 32,754, is the first city in the world to welcome the new Millennium

  2. Microsoft chairman Bill Gates steps aside as chief executive and appoints company president Steve Ballmer as his success

    Microsoft chairman Bill Gates steps aside as chief executive and appoints company president Steve Ballmer as his successor

  3. NASDAQ Composite stock market index peaks at 5132.52, signaling the beginning of the end of the dot-com boom

    NASDAQ Composite stock market index peaks at 5132.52, signaling the beginning of the end of the dot-com boom

  4. South African cricket captain Hansie Cronje is charged by Delhi police with fixing One Day International matches against

    South African cricket captain Hansie Cronje is charged by Delhi police with fixing One Day International matches against India

  5. Metallica files a lawsuit against the peer-to-peer sharing platform Napster, accelerating a movement against file-sharin

    Metallica files a lawsuit against the peer-to-peer sharing platform Napster, accelerating a movement against file-sharing programs

Events After

  1. Euro banknotes and coins become legal tender in twelve of the European Union's member states

    There are eight denominations of euro coins, ranging from one cent to two euro (the euro is divided into a hundred cents). The coins first came into use in 2002.

  2. 29th American Music Awards: Janet Jackson and Lenny Kravitz win. Michael Jackson receives Artist of the Century award.

    29th American Music Awards: Janet Jackson and Lenny Kravitz win. Michael Jackson receives Artist of the Century award.

  3. US President George W. Bush in his State of the Union address describes "regimes that sponsor terror" as an "Axis of Evi

    US President George W. Bush in his State of the Union address describes "regimes that sponsor terror" as an "Axis of Evil," which includes Iraq, Iran, and North Korea

  4. "Blue" country and pop singer LeAnn Rimes (19) weds backup dancer Dean Sheremet (21) at Perkins Chapel in Dallas, Texas

    "Blue" country and pop singer LeAnn Rimes (19) weds backup dancer Dean Sheremet (21) at Perkins Chapel in Dallas, Texas

  5. US invasion of Afghanistan: US conventional forces first deployed as part of Operation Anaconda

    Shortly after the September 11 attacks in 2001, the United States declared the war on terror and subsequently led a multinational military operation against Taliban-ruled Afghanistan.

More from the 2000s

Frequently Asked Questions

What happened on December 5, 2001?
Steven Andrew Soderbergh ( SOH-dər-burg; born January 14, 1963) is an American film director, producer, screenwriter, cinematographer, and editor. A pioneer of modern independent cinema, Soderbergh later drew acclaim for formally inventive films made within the studio system. Soderbergh's directorial breakthrough, the indie drama Sex, Lies, and Videotape (1989), lifted him into the public spotlight as a notable presence in the film industry.
Why is "Ocean's Eleven" directed by Steven Soderbergh, starring George Clooney, Brad... significant?
Steven Andrew Soderbergh ( SOH-dər-burg; born January 14, 1963) is an American film director, producer, screenwriter, cinematographer, and editor.
Who was involved in "Ocean's Eleven" directed by Steven Soderbergh, starring George Clooney, Brad...?
Key figures include Steven Soderbergh (filmmaker), George Clooney (actor and filmmaker), Brad Pitt (actor), Matt Damon (actor), Julia Roberts (actress).

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