George Clooney Critiques Hollywood, Praises Life in France for Family
George Clooney has taken a critical stance on Los Angeles and the surrounding “Hollywood culture,” expressing appreciation for France as an ideal place for raising his children.
In an interview, Clooney described moving to a farm in France as one of the best decisions he and his wife, Amal, have made for their eight-year-old twins, Ella and Alexander. He reflected on his own childhood experiences, noting a transformation in perspective: “I grew up on a farm for a good part of my life, and when I was a kid, I hated the whole idea of a farm. But now… [the twins] it’s like they’re not using the iPad, right? They must eat dinner with an adult and bring their own utensils.”
He emphasized that his children are living a richer life away from the pressures of Hollywood. “I was worried about raising my kids in the culture of Los Angeles, Hollywood,” he explained. “I felt like they would never have a decent influence in life.”
Clooney also criticized Los Angeles for its overwhelming media focus, suggesting that such an environment can harm children’s upbringing. “In France, they don’t care about fame at all. They don’t want you to walk around worrying about paparazzi,” he stated. “They don’t want you to be compared to somebody’s famous kids.”
He mentioned that the significant age gap between him and his children is advantageous. Clooney mused that by the time his children step into adulthood, his own career would likely be a distant memory. “The only thing I consider myself lucky is that I’m much older. The idea that my son would be compared to me is pretty unlikely because, by the time he actually does anything, I’ll be chewing bread with gum,” he said.
When it comes to parenting, he highlighted the importance of survival skills for his kids. “What’s important to me is that they can survive,” he noted.
Additionally, it’s been reported that Clooney and Amal strive to maintain a sense of privacy at home by requesting guests to leave their phones in a basket at the entrance.
This is part of a broader trend as several celebrities are opting to leave Los Angeles. The exodus has been observable for some time, with notable stars like Mark Wahlberg, Sylvester Stallone, and Sheryl Crow having moved on. Recently, Ryan Gosling and Eva Mendes joined the trend, relocating to the UK for a quieter life, while Kaley Cuoco has purchased a ranch in Thousand Oaks, California.
