The French government announced that George Clooney, the American actor known for the "Ocean’s" film series, his wife Amal Clooney, a human rights attorney, and their twin children Ella and Alexander have been granted French citizenship. This decision, publicly recorded in the Journal Officiel last weekend, has sparked debate following concerns expressed by a junior Interior Ministry minister.
Marie-Pierre Vedrenne, who serves as a junior minister at the Interior Ministry, voiced discomfort regarding perceptions that the Clooneys might have received preferential treatment in acquiring French nationality. She emphasized to France Info broadcaster that "The message being sent is not good," highlighting the importance of fairness in the naturalization process.
The family purchased a residence in France in 2021, which George Clooney has identified as their main home. Although details about whether Clooney retains his American citizenship remain unclear, the 47-year-old Amal Clooney, originally Amal Alamuddin from Lebanon and raised in the U.K., secured naturalization under her maiden name. Their twins were born in London and are now also French citizens.
The Foreign Ministry clarified that the Clooneys qualify under French law permitting citizenship for foreign nationals who bolster France's international presence and economic interests. The ministry underscored the advantages to France's cinema industry through Clooney's global stature and noted Amal Clooney's active collaborations with French academic institutions and international organizations.
"They maintain strong personal, professional and family ties with our country," the ministry stated, warmly welcoming them as members of the French community and adopting the French spelling "Georges" for the actor's first name. Interior Minister Laurent Nuñez, Vedrenne’s superior who authorized the naturalization decree, characterized the decision as "a big chance for our country."
In media appearances promoting his film "Jay Kelly," Clooney disclosed his efforts to learn French, though he humorously admitted his language skills remain poor. Meanwhile, Amal and their children are fluent, with Clooney joking that his family speaks French around him to say unkind things without his understanding.
French media report the Clooneys reside part-time in an 18th-century luxury villa near Brignoles in southern France, offering privacy and protection for their children under French privacy laws which restrict unauthorized photography.
In a previous interview with Esquire, Clooney shared concerns about raising their children amid Hollywood's paparazzi culture, appreciating the quieter life afforded by living in France. He noted the children experience a more typical upbringing there, dining informally and avoiding constant public scrutiny.