Don’t expect to hear from him in 2028. The French government has granted citizenship to George Clooney, his wife Amal Clooney, and their twin children, Alexander and Ella, according to naturalization decrees published over the weekend.
Clooney, 64, retains his American nationality under France’s dual-citizenship rules. A native of Kentucky, the actor has for years spoken publicly about his admiration for France’s approach to privacy, particularly when it comes to raising children away from constant media attention.
In a recent interview with French broadcaster RTL, Clooney emphasized the contrast he sees between life in France and more celebrity-saturated environments. “Here, they don’t take photos of kids. There aren’t any paparazzi hidden at the school gates. That’s No. 1 for us,” he told The New York Times. “We also have a house in the United States, but our happiest place is on this farm where the kids can have fun.”
The family resides primarily on a large estate in southern France near Brignoles, which they purchased in 2021. The property, a former vineyard known as Domaine du Canadel, offers expansive grounds and relative seclusion, aligning with the Clooneys’ desire for a low-profile family life. Clooney has also spoken about learning French, though he has joked about struggling with language apps such as Duolingo.
Beyond France, the Clooneys maintain an international portfolio of homes, including their well-known villa on Lake Como, along with additional residences in Europe and the United States.
The citizenship announcement comes as Clooney continues an active film career. He has won Academy Awards for his acting in Syriana and for producing Argo. His most recent role is in director Noah Baumbach’s film Jay Kelly, in which he plays a veteran Hollywood star on a reflective journey that begins in Paris.
For the Clooneys, however, the move toward French citizenship appears driven less by career considerations than by family priorities—rooted, as Clooney has repeatedly suggested, in privacy, stability, and a quieter life for their children.
The move to French citizenship follow’s Clooney’s unusually major role during the 2024 election cycle. In a July opinion piece, the actor publicly called on Joe Biden to abandon his reelection bid, warning bluntly, “We are not going to win in November with this president.” Clooney framed the appeal as personal rather than ideological. “I love Joe Biden—as a senator, as a vice president, and as president. I consider him a friend, and I believe in him. I believe in his character and his morals,” he wrote, adding, “But the one battle he cannot win is the fight against time.” Biden announced he would not seek reelection just days later, clearing the way for Kamala Harris to become the Democratic nominee.
What followed, however, reportedly left Clooney politically exposed and privately embittered. According to multiple reports, sources close to the actor say he was urged by Barack Obama to act as a public surrogate in pressuring Biden to step aside—shielding Obama himself from accusations of betrayal. When Harris’s campaign faltered and ultimately failed, Clooney became a lightning rod for Democratic frustration. “Since I’m in a deep depression and feel like lashing out at someone, what’s the plan now, George Clooney?” one same-party critic wrote online. A political source said that Clooney now feels “duped” and has vowed he is “not going to be anyone’s political water boy anymore,” particularly after Obama’s reported preference for Mark Kelly was sidelined by Biden’s swift endorsement of Harris—a decision that reshaped the race and, critics argue, helped deliver both the presidency and the popular vote to Donald Trump.
Can he take Robert DeNiro with him?