They’re both forces of nature, renowned as leaders in their respective fields, and – together – celebrated as one of the world’s most influential duos. But being one half of a legendary power couple is busy business, and – according to insiders – it’s actually keeping George and Amal Clooney more apart than ever. Apparently, the husband and wife are so laser-focused on their multiple projects and
commitments, it makes it hard to spend quality time together, even under one (very big) roof. And with separate staff tending to their packed diaries and daily commitments, they’re growing increasingly used to living separate lives, with no course correction in sight.
“George has lost none of his appetite for directing and acting,” says an insider close to the 63 year old, who’s starring alongside Brad Pitt in the upcoming caper Wolfs, in which the old friends play warring “fixers” of crime scenes.
“If anything, work is something he enjoys more than ever these days, because filmmakers and talent bosses know that there’s no point pitching George anything that’s not top of the lot. He has a ton of brand endorsement, real estate and other ongoing business commitments that require his personal attention on a daily basis, and he’s writing so much of his own material too.
“He’s a perfectionist and demands perfection from everybody who steps up to work for him. He’s also extremely hands on; nothing gets through if it doesn’t pass his personal sniff test. Amal is very much the same, in that she loves her job and sees it as being a real calling, so nothing is taken on without a lot of research and careful consideration beforehand.”
Amal may have taken her husband’s surname after they got married in September 2014 – in a four-day wedding extravaganza in Venice attended by some of Hollywood’s most famous faces – but she is, of course, a noted changemaker in her own right. As a leading human rights barrister and activist, she has
represented people including WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange and former Ukrainian Prime Minister Yulia Tymoshenko, and has also held appointments with the UK government and the United Nations. She and George cemented their shared passion for human rights with the 2016 launch of their charity, the Clooney Foundation for Justice, but – for the most part – they still operate largely independently, dedicating almost all their time to working on projects that matter most to them.
All this, we’re told, isn’t a particularly glaring problem for the couple, who share twins Ella and Alexander, seven. In fact, they’re both entirely on the same page, meaning neither sees much need to change the status quo, especially since – whatever they’re working on – they do still tend to do so while living in the same place. The family split their time between their villa in Lake Como, Italy, their wine estate in Brignoles, France, their mansion in Berkshire, UK, and their homes in LA and Mexico, and – while George and Amal do travel separately for work – staying under one roof most of the time, even while working all hours of the day and night on separate projects, does still keep them connected.
“One of the big reasons that Amal and George work so well is because they’re so independently successful and secure in their own individual orbits,” our source explains.
“Fortunately, they do have great nannies – their houses are like mini resorts in themselves. Most days, they get together at the end of the day for dinner and catch-up time, but – if they need to work into the night or head off to a business meeting – that’s not something they sweat about. It’s an open joke among their friends that George and Amal live this incredible separate life under the same roof much of the time, but they just take it in their stride and are confident with how things are.”
Despite having more than enough wealth and success to last them both a lifetime(especially since George sold Casamigos, the tequila brand he co-founded, in 2017 for $1bn) it’s clear that neither he nor Amal have any desire to slow things down anytime soon. As well as his upcoming film with BFF Brad, George is also preparing for his Broadway debut in Spring 2025, when he’ll star in the stage adaptation of his 2005 acclaimed drama Good Night, And Good Luck. He’s also busy fielding and writing scripts before deciding what he’ll next direct.
As for Amal, she recently had her hands full while serving on a panel for the ICC over war crimes in Gaza – following her recent work alongside Michelle Obama and Melinda French Gates in support of their “Get Her There” campaign, which seeks to educate and empower teenage females. With neither of them wishing – or pressuring the other – to pare down their commitments, we’re told George and Amal are happy to be separate in their togetherness.
“They’re one family, but George and Amal live in two very separate worlds for 90 per cent of the day, and they seem to like it that way,” says our source.
“They both have their own sets of staff and friends, so there’s not a lot of crossover. The only time they really overlap is when they’re on vacation. They’re both hardcore workaholics who love nothing more than putting in 18 hour days on projects they’re passionate about. If the family has one motto these days, it’s ‘work hard, play rarely’.”
Now, as they approach their 10th anniversary in September, it’s unlikely we’ll see either one of them change their tune or compromise their work commitments for the sake of the other’s busy schedule. Then again, considering just how independent they both are, we doubt they’d want it any other way. As far as the Clooneys are concerned, they’re strong together, strong apart, and – with luxury homes, staff and two children between them – they know they have each other’s backs, even if they’re not standing directly behind them. Let’s not forget, distance makes the heart grow fonder – so, we can only assume the power couple grow ever fonder of each other every day.