Promoting his new movie "Confessions of a Dangerous Mind," which he directed and in which he costars, George Clooney had a few confessions of his own for The New York Times about love, marriage and not going to the Oscars.

His movie is about TV producer Chuck Barris, who created "The Gong Show" and claims to have worked for the CIA. In other words, an iconoclast. The same might be said of Clooney.

"You know," the hunk replies when asked about show business, "I've never been to the Oscars. They ask me every year to present an award, but that's not right. You should go when you're nominated. Not before."

Clooney also acknowledges that although he keeps saying he doesn't want to get married, his new movie ends happily -- with a wedding.

But, Clooney points out, "There's a coffin in the back of the church as the wedding is going on ... Look, I'm a romantic. I like marriage." Then, after a beat, he adds: "In the movies."

Pressing further on the matter, The Times asks whether it was true that Nicole Kidman bet Clooney that he would be married by the time he was 40.

"She did," he confirms. "And now I'm 41, Nicole sent me a check for $10,000. I mailed it back and wrote, 'Double or nothing for another 10 years.'"