Gangs of New York made us look differently at the actor but it was The Aviator two years later that cemented him as a bona fide leading man landing him a Best Actor nomination.
Since then he has starred in The Departed and Blood Diamond, the latter securing him another Oscar nomination.
And 2010 has been a huge success for him as he reunited with Martin Scorsese for psychological thriller Shutter Island before blowing away the box office this summer with Inception.
The film, which teamed him up with filmmaker Christopher Nolan, was a critical and commerical success and one of the best movies of the year.
He will next team up with Clint Eastwood for Hoover, in which he takes on the role of J.Edgar Hoover.
Other actors that have seen their career flourish as they have reached a certain age include Daniel Day Lewis who, after coming out of retirement to star in Gangs of New York, won an Oscar this year for There Will Be blood, Morgan Freeman remains once of the industry's most popular actor winning an Oscar for his role in Clint Eastwood's Million Dollar Baby.
And lets face it seventy eight year old Clint is enjoying a whole host of success now behind the camera with the likes of Mystic River and Million Dollar Baby all finding critical and Academy success.
The American is released 26th November.
FemaleFirst Helen Earnshaw
Tagged in George Clooney