For a while now, I’ve thought that George and Amal Clooney are fine, that they weathered the pandemic pretty well in LA, and that they’re in it for the long-haul. But Us Weekly has a story about just that – George and Amal being stronger than ever – and now I’m like “well, maybe not??” It’s that tabloid reverse psychology – trying to convince everyone that a couple is perfectly fine often makes people question if the opposite is true. For what it’s worth, I think this is less about telegraphing any issues with the Clooney marriage and more about reminding people that George is about to turn 60 years old. Some highlights from this Us Weekly story:
George & Amal are fine: George Clooney feels “happy and blessed” in his marriage to Amal Clooney ahead of his 60th birthday in May, a source exclusively reveals in the new issue of Us Weekly. “He doubted for so long that he’d get to meet that soulmate he always dreamed of … but when Amal came along, everything changed,” the insider adds of the couple, who tied the knot in September 2014. “It’s no exaggeration to say she swept him off his feet.”
George thinks he hit the jackpot: The Oscar winner “considers Amal extraordinary,” the source says, and “tells anyone who’ll listen how he’s the one who hit the jackpot here, not her.”
What is this?? Things haven’t always run smoothly for the pair, who put “constant effort” into their relationship. “Like any marriage, they’ve had their challenges and needed to adapt to certain situations and challenges,” the source tells Us. “It’s taken compromise, establishing boundaries and a lot of patience to keep the relationship on track but they’ve done just that.”
Spending so much time in LA: While the couple frequently jet off to their home in Lake Como, Italy, they’ve spent more time stateside amid the coronavirus pandemic. “[Being in Los Angeles] gave them the chance to hit the refresh button, spend time together as a family unit and play family without interruption. George and Amal are very solid right now.”
Childcare: They “are pretty even about how they divide up the parenting responsibilities,” and have found a balance with their busy work lives. When he’s not on set, George is always “doting on the twins” and enjoying his role “as a regular family guy more than anything. He’s very devoted and loving. [He’s] always thinking of gestures to make them feel appreciated and reminding them that their mom’s the boss.”
Another kid? When it comes to expanding their family, the twosome are on the fence. Though the Descendants star is “not totally close-minded about one more kid,” welcoming another child seems “unlikely” — but not impossible. “He’s happy with what he’s got and so is Amal,” the source says. “But it’s a ‘never say never’ situation, basically.”
Amal said quite clearly that the twins were enough for her, and she was pretty matter-of-fact about it, I remember her Vogue profile. As for the rough patch they apparently had… where? When? I think George has always given Amal what she wants, and I’m not saying that as some huge negative thing. She wanted a place in the posh English countryside, so he bought a place for her and the kids. She wanted to social-climb in British society so he facilitated that for her. The one thing that surprises me is that George really does seem like an involved father. I think that surprised Amal too – she went into the marriage thinking that she’d have a baby or two and that she’d probably be doing it alone, only to be shocked to find out that George loves being a dad. Anyway, are they okay? I thought they were but now I don’t know.
Photos courtesy of Avalon Red, Backgrid.
I hope that they’re okay too. I really like George and hope he and Amal are happy in their married life. They’re romance was so public and whirlwind I hope they take care of each other.
I would see amal having a probkem with george only when he sees his friends such as Brad Pitt, which would be a no no for amal because the bro gang, the drugs, the motorcycling. Brad pitt is not radioactive, like johnny depp, but with amal’s image of do good like Angelina, I doubt she wants to see george out in public with brad.
I don’t think he and Pitt are friends, they’re colleagues. Most of Clooney’s friends are not well known, like his producing partner Heslov and Richard Kind (Mad About You, Stargate).
George kinda reminds me of Elton John. The later in life kids, deliberate and involved dad (s) but I’ve always had weird vibes from G and A. Can’t say why
Business arrangement.
Exactly.
George is 60, the age when most regular people start having grandchildren. I’ve heard so many times people telling how much more excited and emotionally involved they are as grandparents compared to when they were parents themselves. It might be the age thing too for George.
Real marriage is hard work, even between soulmates. I hope the best for them.
I love Amal and I think he hit the jackpot here not her….. I wish them all the best!
It is! I have a marriage that everyone on the outside thinks is perfect but wow, it has been seriously hard work in the past 10 year.
So true. And the last year has been tough on even the strongest marriages. I’ll be married 20 years this summer and the last year has been the hardest on us – harder than the first year, harder than the first year with a baby, harder than the year I went back to work . . .
I hope that they (and all of us) can find the way through this.
Especially when you factor in the extra time, energy and sometimes more stress and definite lack of sleep that comes with raising small ones. That was our toughest time. We celebrate 26 years this summer.
Congratulations to all of you on your marriages!! We celebrate this 25 years this November and it’s been extremely hard work. Gut wrenching at times. Even though we have been married this long, marriage takes work on a daily basis. Marriage is hard, period. No matter who you married or how in love you both are, it still takes work.
I am glad that he is pointing out that he married up though!!
Yeah, marriage is what you put into it. You’re blending two individuals into a unit and you want to do that without losing the individuality of both partners. It’s work.
I love this bit- The Oscar winner “considers Amal extraordinary,” the source says, and “tells anyone who’ll listen how he’s the one who hit the jackpot here, not her.”
Like. Literally no one is thinking she hit the jackpot. She truly is the impressive one in that relationship lol
I do think she is the impressive one in that relationship….why is that so hard to believe unless I read your post incorrectly? if I did, I apologize
She is much more impressive that he is….imo
Haha I agree! I think Iris is pointing out how funny it is that the article is trying to make it sound like everyone’s always going on about how Amal hit the jackpot… like, I don’t think any of us have ever heard of anybody who thinks that 😂
That was my exact reaction lol
George: “I hit the jackpot, I’m the lucky one!”
The world: “no sh*t.”
Isn’t that the truth!! Shout it loud and proud George for those in the cheap seats!!
Sorry to be cynical but a lot of high profile men are fine with saying that — until someone believes them.
George has often said he married up and is still amazed that he got to be with such an amazing, intelligent woman.
I’m sure they’re fine. Like any other couple, there are ups and downs, but they seem happy in a relationship that fits what each of them desire.
As soon as you see pieces like this, splitsville is round the corner
and if it didn’t come from US Weekly I’d agree haha
Yes, some other reputable paper, not US Weekly!!!
Im pretty sure that they’ve had their challenges(every marriage does) but im raising eyebrows at the fact that they are bringing it up now when they’ve never done so before. Maybe its reverse psychology or maybe it just a tabloid talking sh#t to keep the article interesting. As for george being a hands on father. Doesn’t surprise me tbh. I don’t think Amal is the type of woman to put up with anything less. She’s way too smart and accomplished herself
George Clooney is in the husband/parenting stage of his life. He went into it late, and I just can’t see him changing his mind about being a family guy at this point. I have no idea what is up with this article. Maybe it’s just that he has a milestone birthday and this is the best they could come up with without putting the focus on his kids.
Maybe there are some big cracks, but this seems pretty mature and normal to me – setting boundaries, adapting to situations and challenges. I would find it more suspicious if this came out of nowhere, but as part of his 60th birthday PR extravangaza, I’m not bothered. It’s certainly a lot less desperate than the PR around the Cambridges, right?
George as “the star of the Descendants” – I think I would refer to him as….the Ocean’s Eleven star, or the Syriana star, or the Good Night and Good Luck star – Descendants is so far down the list of movies for me lol.
I absolutely loved The Descendants, have the book and watch the movie regularly. The acting is brilliant and the plot really hit home for me because my family and I had to make the decision to take my sister off life support when she was 41. He is perfect as the husband who has to deal with such a traumatizing situation while keeping his kids from winging out. It’s not a movie to “LOL” about.
Its not a dig at the Descendants! It’s more that I don’t think most people associate him with that movie. Like if you walked into a bar and asked everyone there to name a movie they associated with George Clooney, I think you would get very few responses of “the descendants.”
i’m sorry about your sister.
Jaded, I wanted to send you a kind word about your sister. I’m so sorry. I hope you are ok and have been comforted. God Bless you.
I really like Out of Sight, The American, and Up in the Air.
I’m fine with them and I have never understood all the angst in the press about them honestly. As for the social climbing, Amal was a celebrated human rights lawyer before George but sure let’s make it about the woman “marrying up” not the man who kept stringing along cocktail waitresses.
Being a well-known lawyer does not guarantee that you will be running in the same circles as an actor, an aristocrat, models, etc. I’m not sure what Amal was looking for but she certainly was not hanging out with Anna Wintour before George.
“Being a well-known lawyer does not guarantee that you will be running in the same circles as an actor, an aristocrat, models,” — a well-known lawyer will be running in the same circles as politicians, government officials…those people who actually have the ability to change the world. By the way, those worlds intercept as you can see with the VaxLive…..the way you phrased it, is as if you placed some categories above others…anyway, I should just stop
Not hanging out with Anna Wintour pre-marriage still doesn’t make her a de-facto social climber. It was one of the perks of marrying Georges Clooney, so why not take advantage of it, its not like there is a history of her actively trying to break into the celebrity circuit before
I never said she was a social climber. But again, being successful in her career doesn’t mean she didn’t want something more. She’s clearly very fashionable so she might have wanted to interact more with the “creative arts.” Don’t know why people assume that she knows everyone that George knows and vice versa.
Yeah, I did not love that interpretation. I always got the impression that he chased her-not the other way around.
Also, it’s not like they were in your face celebrities before the pandemic hit. I don’t really remember the last time we heard anything major from them since the twins were born.
Marriage is hard work.
Don’t have much of an opinion on these two other than they are ridiculously glamorous and I always enjoy seeing them out and about for the aspirational ideal they present, but I have liked George ever since the Sony hack, when all those private emails became public, and he seemed to genuinely be as good of a person as he always presented himself to be, lol. So I really hope their marriage is still working for them.
That said, I don’t follow gossip on them usually and had no idea Amal wanted to social climb British society. Like, why? It seems to me when you’ve reached the level of global superstardom of this couple, you’ve reached the pinnacle and people social climb to enter your orbit, not the other way around. And aren’t her politics super progressive? She’s a world renowned human rights lawyer, and I know George is super progressive. What exactly does she gain by getting an in with British high society? Aren’t they mostly insipid Tories?
hmmm i think that for certain circles in Britain, Hollywood celebrity would always be looked down upon, no matter what your level of fame is. They will happily use it for say , fundraising, or exposure, but getting into the aristocratic/old money crowd is still highly desirable.
It depends on what you mean by “British high society.” George and Amal are not in with the aristos (royal wedding attendance notwithstanding). That’s a closed world for the most part – they’re not hanging out with the Cholmondeleys. But they probably wouldn’t want to in any event, it’s a boring horsey life. They’re in with celebs, London jet set and wealthy Berkshire (Home Counties) people, and that’s probably what she wanted.
Sooo…married couple with 2 small children is normal. Got it. Thanks US Weekly!
I think it’s a lot of bull.
I don’t believe anything published in US Weekly.
Next week’s article will be on their “Billion dollar divorce!” *eye roll*
I hope that they are ok and that their marriage is in a better place. I like them as a couple.
No one:
Clooneys: We’re fine! Marriage is had sometimes but we’re fine!
It’s US Weekly, not People. A few years back, when they had different owners, publicists sometimes leaked stuff to them but nowadays it’s basically 99% BS and all the semi accurate/accurate/publicist gossip goes to People.
That said, I wouldn’t be shocked if they had a bit of a rough patch in the past because a) the public attention might have been an adjustment and b) very young kids can be hard on a marriage and c) the pandemic was hard on everyone. But there’s never really been cheating or “drama” rumors surrounding George in the past, even with his string of girlfriends, and he seems happy with his life…and too old & content to have a late in life crisis. Amal always comes across as content in the few interviews she gives, and it’s not like Clooney is constantly on different sets either away from home.
Plus d) a big age difference.
Relationships are hard! And they require a constant negotiation of the terms, especially if both people have goals. What they said about boundaries – true. If you don’t know your boundaries, you will learn them in a marriage. Then you will need to learn to communicate them to someone else, with a totally different view. It’s not for the faint of heart.
As if the nannies aren’t raising these kids. Sure, George and Amal.
Thank you!
Everyone can be annoying, especially if you are spending a married amount of time with them. Getting past this isn’t going to break us up, it isn’t going to change, but I’m kinda fed up, is the work that a marriage is about. And they had to have gone through some of that.
Wasn’t it not that long ago when GC said in an interview that the two of them had never had an argument? Also, I never thought of him as someone who was holding out hope for his soulmate. He never acted like that or said anything like that. Quite the opposite.
It’s US Weekly. Fake story.
She doesn’t “need” George Clooney. She’s accomplished enough all by herself. Love her.
Yes, marriage is hard, whether you’re rich or poor. But come on. When I think of the stress it would take off my marriage if we had the money to afford more help??? It’s almost insulting to hear about a wealthy, privileged, celebrity couple’s “difficulties” when they’re literally surrounded by assistants who free them of almost all the mundane daily tasks that get in the way of your relationship (housekeepers, personal trainers, private chefs, and personal assistants, etc.).