George Clooney and his wife Amal Clooney, along with their two children, have been granted French citizenship, according to an official decree published in France's government gazette. The actor had previously indicated his intention to seek French nationality, citing the country's strong privacy laws that protect children from paparazzi.
In an interview with RTL radio in early December, Clooney praised French culture and privacy protections, stating, 'Here, they don’t take photos of kids. There aren’t any paparazzi hidden at the school gates. That’s number one for us.' He also noted that despite frequent travel, their home in France 'is where we’re happiest.'
The Clooneys own a former wine estate called Domaine du Canadel near Brignoles in southern France, purchased in 2021. They also have properties in Italy's Lake Como region, England, New York, and Kentucky, having sold homes in Los Angeles and Mexico over the past decade.
Clooney, a dual US-French citizen, has a long connection to Europe, including his 2014 marriage to Amal, a British-Lebanese human rights lawyer who speaks fluent French. The actor has won two Oscars, for best supporting actor in 2006's Syriana and as a producer on 2012's Argo.
Hollywood director Jim Jarmusch has also expressed interest in French citizenship, telling France Inter radio that he plans to apply for French nationality to 'escape from the United States.'
