George and Amal Clooney Become French Citizens to Shield Kids from Hollywood Life

George and Amal Clooney have officially become French citizens, a decision the couple says was influenced by concerns about raising their children in Hollywood.

Their new status, which includes their 8-year-old twins Alexander and Ella, was confirmed in a French government journal on Saturday.

The Clooneys purchased an $8.3 million farm in the south of France in 2021, seeking a calmer and more private life for their family.

George Clooney told Esquire in October that living on the farm has given their children a childhood he feels is more balanced. “We’re very lucky. You know, we live on a farm in France. A good portion of my life growing up was on a farm, and as a kid I hated the whole idea of it. But now, for them, it’s like — they’re not on their iPads, you know? They have dinner with grown-ups and have to take their dishes in. They have a much better life,” he said.

Clooney said he was concerned about raising the twins in Los Angeles because of the pressures of Hollywood. “I felt like they were never going to get a fair shake at life. France — they kind of don’t give a s*** about fame,” he explained. “I don’t want them to be walking around worried about paparazzi. I don’t want them being compared to somebody else’s famous kids.”

He also expressed his love for French culture in a recent radio interview. “I love the French culture, your language, even if I’m still bad at it after 400 days of courses,” he joked, according to the Guardian. Clooney emphasized that privacy for their children was a key reason for the move. “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 said.

The actor shared that he is currently in a comfortable place in life. “I like what I do for a living, I have great friends. I spend time with people that I love, and I’ve been able and lucky enough late in life to be able to spend time with my family,” he told People.

George and Amal met through their shared interest in human rights work and became engaged in April 2014. They married on September 27, 2014, in Italy. The couple welcomed twins Alexander and Ella in 2017, who already speak multiple languages, including Italian.

The decision to acquire French citizenship reflects the couple’s desire to give their children a normal, private upbringing, away from the constant attention of Hollywood and the media.

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