The Japan Times - George Clooney, his wife Amal and children become French

The publication, in France's government gazette, confirms an ambition Clooney alluded to early in December when he hailed French privacy laws that keep his family shielded from paparazzi.

"I love the French culture, your language, even if I'm still bad at it after 400 days of courses," the 64-year-old actor told RTL radio at the time -- in English.

"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 now-dual US-French citizen has a long attachment to Europe, which even pre-dates his 2014 marriage to Amal, a British-Lebanese human rights lawyer who speaks fluent French.

Clooney owns an estate in Italy's picturesque Lake Como region, purchased in 2002, and he and Amal bought a historic manor in England.

Their property in southern France -- a former wine estate called the Domaine du Canadel, near the village of Brignoles -- was purchased in 2021.

They also own a New York apartment and a property in Kentucky, but reportedly sold homes in Los Angeles and Mexico over the past decade.

The glamorous couple are parents to eight-year-old twins.

Clooney told RTL that although the family jet-sets around, their French home "is where we're happiest".

Clooney is also a director and producer, and has two Oscars to put on whichever mantlepiece suits: one for best supporting actor in 2006's "Syriana" and as a producer on 2012's "Argo".

On top of his cinema pay cheques, he has raked in millions for celebrity endorsements, including for Nespresso, and got a windfall pay-out for selling his stake in a tequila brand.

Clooney is not the only Hollywood luminary to want to go French: US director Jim Jarmusch on Friday told France Inter radio that he plans to apply for French nationality.

"I would like a place that will allow me to escape from the United States," he said, also saying he was attracted to French culture.

K.Tanaka--JT