A Reddit user posted a photo in late November 2024 depicting former U.S. President Barack Obama with American actors Don Cheadle, Tobey Maguire and George Clooney.
As of this writing, the Reddit post has received about 74,000 upvotes and nearly 2,000 comments.
A reverse image search showed the photo has circulated online for years. The image can be found on TikTok, Instagram and other social media platforms.
The picture is authentic and was taken on May 11, 2012, by Pete Souza, a White House photographer for Obama and former President Ronald Reagan.
The original photo can be found on the official archived White House website for the Obama administration. The image's caption on the website provides some context:
After some early morning basketball in Los Angeles, the President talks with the players who included actors Don Cheadle, Tobey Maguire, and George Clooney, along with two of Clooney's long-time friends. Stacy Keibler is also at right. (Official White House Photo by Pete Souza)
The time stamp of the picture also matches articles from reputable news outlets referencing a basketball game Obama played with Maguire and Clooney, including an ABC News story noting that the game took place at Cheviot Hills Recreation Center in Los Angeles shortly after a Hollywood fundraiser.
There are also other official photos of Obama playing basketball at the same recreation center on the same day with Clooney, Maguire, Cheadle and other people. Those photos can be found through the National Archives Catalog.
President Barack Obama plays basketball with George Clooney, Tobey Maguire, Don Cheadle, and others at Cheviot Hills Recreation Center in Los Angeles, California, May 11, 2012. (National Archives Catalog)