In a significant personal move, Hollywood icon George Clooney and his wife, renowned human rights lawyer Amal Alamuddin Clooney, have officially added French citizenship to their family portfolio. The couple's eight-year-old twins, Ella and Alexander, are also now citizens of France, according to an official decree published in the French government gazette, the Journal Officiel.
A Quest for Privacy and Normalcy
The decision, confirmed over the weekend of December 30, 2025, aligns with public statements Clooney has made about seeking a sanctuary for his family away from intense media scrutiny. The actor, 64, explicitly praised France's cultural norms regarding privacy, a stark contrast to his experiences in Hollywood.
"Here, no one takes pictures of your kids," Clooney told RTL Radio in an early December interview. "There are no paparazzi lurking outside the school. That's essential for us." He emphasized that providing a normal upbringing was the primary motivation, stating, "I wanted a place where our children would have the chance to live a normal life. That was really the main reason."
Roots in the French Countryside
The Clooney family has been deepening its ties to France for several years. In 2021, they purchased the Domaine du Canadel, a former winery estate near the village of Brignoles in the picturesque south of France. Clooney has spoken fondly of their life there, comparing it to his own childhood in Kentucky.
"The happiest place for us is this farm where the kids have fun, just like I did when I was young in Kentucky," he said. "I really love what we experience there." He contrasted this with concerns about raising children in Los Angeles, telling Esquire magazine in October, "I was worried about raising our kids in L.A., in the culture of Hollywood... France — they kind of don't give a s— about fame."
Embracing European Life
While the family maintains other properties, including a home in Italy's Lake Como region, a New York apartment, and a property in Kentucky, they have reportedly sold homes in Los Angeles and Mexico in recent years. The couple, along with their children, now spend considerable time in Europe, particularly at their French estate.
Clooney, an Oscar-winning actor and director, admitted he is still working on his language skills, joking, "I love French culture, your language, even if I'm still just as bad after 400 days of lessons." The move solidifies the family's transition towards a more European-centric lifestyle, focused on simplicity and family time away from the spotlight.
The citizenship grant to Amal Clooney, 47, a British-Lebanese barrister known for her work in international law, and their children marks a formal commitment to their adopted country. For George Clooney, it represents the fulfillment of a goal to offer his twins the grounded childhood he values, far from the comparisons and pressures of celebrity life in America.
