George Clooney has denied reports that he once considered committing suicide - insisting his comments have been taken ''out of context.''

Earlier this week, the Hollywood actor was reported as saying he'd contemplated ending his live after 12 months of personal tragedy and turmoil.

In the past year, Clooney suffered an excruciating brain injury on the set of his new thriller, "Syriana," and was also left reeling after his grandmother, brother-in-law and dog all died within months of each other.

The handsome actor told America's National Public Radio in Los Angeles: "Before the surgery it was the most unbearable pain I've ever been through, literally where you'd go: 'Well, you'll have to kill yourself at some point, you can't live like this'."

Clooney now insists his comments have been blown out of proportion and has denied he ever seriously considered suicide.

He said: "I certainly did not talk about wanting to kill myself. I was talking about living a long time in that sort of pain."

Clooney, 44, suffered his freak injury, which left him with excruciating headaches and serious memory loss, when a fight scene in his new movie went wrong.

He explained: "There was a scene where I was taped to a chair and getting beaten up. The chair was kicked over and I hit my head."

"I tore my dura, which is the wrap around my spine which holds in spinal fluid. I basically bruised my brain. It's now bouncing around my head because it's not supported."