George and Amal Clooney Get French Citizenship to Raise Kids Away from Hollywood

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

The family’s new citizenship was confirmed in a French government journal on Saturday.

George, 64, and Amal, 47, purchased an $8.3 million farm in the south of France in 2021, according to Hello!. The Clooneys have said they wanted their 8-year-old twins, Alexander and Ella, to grow up in a calmer environment, away from the pressures of Hollywood.

In an interview in October, George described life on their French farm. “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 explained that one reason for the move was his concern about raising the twins in Los Angeles. “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 said. “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 spoke about his love for French culture and language 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,” Clooney joked to the Guardian. Privacy for the twins remains a top priority for the couple. “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.

Clooney said he is happy with where he is 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 in October.

The actor became engaged to British-Lebanese lawyer Amal Alamuddin in April 2014. They married on September 27, 2014, in Italy. In 2017, the couple welcomed twins Alexander and Ella. The children are already learning multiple languages and live a family-focused life on their farm in France.

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