George ClooneyGeorge Clooney may be one of the world’s most recognizable stars, but at home, he’s just dad to his twins, Ella and Alexander. And, like any parent, George recently found himself stumped by one of those tricky questions that only kids seem to know how to ask.
The 62-year-old actor revealed that even he was caught off guard when his little ones asked him a question that left him at a loss for words.
The Oscar-winning actor shared the amusing anecdote during a candid interview with E! News, recounting the moment his 7-year-old twins asked, “What’s ‘famous?’”
As George put it, the question seemed to come out of nowhere, and neither he nor his wife, Amal, were prepared to explain the complexities of celebrity life to their young children. “We didn’t want to explain it,” he admitted, clearly feeling that famous or not, he and Amal want to keep their children’s lives as grounded as possible.
“I don’t want them to know too much about it,” he continued, explaining his desire to protect his children from the public eye.
“They know what a lawyer is, because of their mom, but I don’t really want them knowing about what I do.” The beloved Ocean’s Eleven star shared that the kids are aware he’s an actor, but they don’t fully grasp what that means.
In fact, George has been struggling to convey just what it is that makes him such a recognizable figure — a situation made even more complicated when his son donned a superhero cape for Halloween.
“My son dressed up as Batman not long ago. And he said, ‘I’m Batman,’” George shared with a smile, referencing his role in the 1997 film Batman & Robin.
“I told him, ‘I was Batman.’ He looked at me and just said, ‘Not really.’” George laughed as he relived the moment. “And I was like, ‘You have no idea how accurate you are!’” Even the Dark Knight himself can’t impress his kids!
Amal, who joined George for the interview, added, “They find it intriguing. They know you’re an actor.”
But while Ella and Alexander are vaguely aware of their father’s profession, they’re blissfully oblivious to the magnitude of his fame. For now, to them, he’s just dad — the man who reads bedtime stories, helps with homework, and makes silly jokes.
Their family life is remarkably ordinary, considering their parents’ star power. George and Amal have made a conscious effort to keep things as normal as possible for their little ones. “We get to drive the kids to school in the morning and all that kind of stuff,” George said, sounding more like any proud father than a Hollywood heavyweight. “It’s fun.”
Of course, maintaining normalcy is no small feat when you’re George Clooney. For over two decades, he’s been a mainstay on the A-list, with roles ranging from suave conmen to dashing doctors and yes, even the Caped Crusader.
Meanwhile, Amal, 45, is a highly-respected human rights lawyer who has tackled some of the world’s most high-profile cases. But the couple is determined that their careers won’t define their children’s lives — at least, not while they’re still young.
In fact, the Clooneys go to great lengths to shield their kids from the spotlight. Speaking to GQ last month, George shared his ongoing struggle to keep their children’s lives private. “We deal in very serious subject matters, with very serious bad guys, and we don’t want to have photos of our kids out there,” he explained. “So we have to work hard at trying to stay private, and it’s tricky, as you can imagine.”
For George, it’s about more than just maintaining privacy — it’s about keeping his children safe. “I have a goal of trying to protect them,” he confessed. “I don’t want pictures of my kids everywhere, and I want them to have as normal a childhood as possible.” It’s a tough balance to strike, but George and Amal are determined to ensure their children have the freedom to grow up without the weight of the Clooney name.
Their protective instincts are especially strong given Amal’s line of work. As a lawyer who’s defended victims of human rights abuses and taken on some of the world’s most dangerous individuals, Amal’s safety and that of her family is a top priority.
“We deal with serious threats, and the last thing we want is for our kids to be exposed to any of that,” George said firmly. But, as the ever-doting dad, he can’t help but cherish the moments when his children are blissfully unaware of their parents’ global fame.
For now, Ella and Alexander are more focused on school and playdates than they are on their father’s Hollywood legacy. One day, they may come to understand just how iconic their dad is — but for now, George is content being the goofy, overprotective dad who picks them up from school and shares quiet moments at home.
As for the future? George hopes that one day his children will look back on these years and see just how hard their parents worked to keep things “normal.” But in the meantime, he’s happy to keep their biggest concerns limited to who gets to be Batman and what’s for dinner.