France granted actor George Clooney and his family citizenship after a special request from the country's foreign affairs minister, according to a report.
The citizenship was approved on Dec. 26 after a direct request from Foreign Affairs Minister Jean-Noël Barrot, according to official records and a government document reviewed by Politico.
The move sidestepped the standard naturalization process by using the rarely applied "citoyen émérite" pathway.
In an Oct. 20 letter to Interior Minister Laurent Nuñez, whose office is responsible for citizenship decisions, Barrot proposed that Clooney, his wife Amal Clooney, and their children be granted French nationality under the special provision.
The process applies to "a French-speaking foreigner who contributes through his or her outstanding work to the influence of France and the prosperity of its international economic relations."
Barrot's letter said the Clooney family is "permanently based" in southern France, where their children attend school, and noted that the couple "maintains personal and professional ties with [France]."
It also pointed to their philanthropic work, stating that "through their life paths and commitments, they embody the values of solidarity, freedom, and creativity that France promotes around the world."
The document further emphasized Clooney's economic impact, adding that "Mr. Clooney's professional activity generates enormous financial benefits from which the French film industry profits."
A spokesperson for the foreign affairs minister confirmed that Barrot initiated the request and that citizenship was formally granted in December.
The move has drawn criticism from within the government.
Marie-Pierre Vedrenne, a junior minister attached to the interior ministry, said she was embarrassed by the development and believed it "sends the wrong message."
She said she would "look into" how the procedure was applied in this case.
The "citoyen émérite" process allows the government to waive typical requirements such as minimum residency periods, language exams, and integration assessments.
While legal, it is rarely used and has historically been reserved for figures viewed as strategically or economically important to France.
Past beneficiaries include Snapchat co-founder Evan Spiegel and Telegram co-founder Pavel Durov.
Clooney has spent several years living in France with his wife, a human rights lawyer, and their children.
Together, the couple runs the Clooney Foundation for Justice which focuses on international legal advocacy related to free speech and women's rights.
The organization describes its mission as "providing free legal aid in defense of free speech & women's rights in over 40 countries."
Clooney's activism has occasionally placed him in conflict with political leaders abroad.
In Europe, his advocacy has drawn criticism from Russian authorities and from Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán.
In the U.S., Clooney has long-standing ties to Democratic Party officials and played a role in encouraging former President Joe Biden to withdraw from the 2024 presidential race.
Clooney has previously explained his decision to raise his family in Europe rather than in the U.S.
In an October interview with Esquire, he described life on a farm in France and compared it to Hollywood.
"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," he said. "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 also cited concerns about celebrity culture in Los Angeles.
"I was worried about raising our kids in L.A., in the culture of Hollywood," Clooney said. "I felt like they were never going to get a fair shake at life. France — they kind of don't give a sh*t about fame. 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."
Zoe Papadakis ✉
Zoe Papadakis is a Newsmax writer based in South Africa with two decades of experience specializing in media and entertainment. She has been in the news industry as a reporter, writer and editor for newspapers, magazine and websites.
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