George Clooney receives honorary Golden Lion at Venice Film Festival

George Clooney has been awarded an honorary Golden Lion at the Venice Film Festival.

The Hollywood icon was the toast of the festival's opening ceremony on Wednesday evening, receiving the honour for lifetime achievement.

The prize was presented to Clooney by his longtime friend and co-star Laura Dern.

"He's the best friend you could ever have and the funniest person you will ever meet," Dern said, gushing that among his many accolades, he's twice been voted People magazine's Sexiest Man Alive.

Dern also read notes from Brad Pitt, Adam Sandler and Steven Soderbergh, among others.

Quipped 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."

Clooney then delivered his speech, following a lengthy standing ovation.

"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," he shared.

"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 realise you really didn't have a career as much as a series of happy accidents."

Clooney is a regular fixture at the Italian festival. He has a home in nearby Lake Como and married his wife, Amal, in Venice in 2014.