George Clooney has chosen a life that prioritizes simplicity, privacy, and authenticity for his young family, deliberately keeping his children far from the glare and intensity of Hollywood. The celebrated actor, known for both his cinematic accomplishments and his dedication to humanitarian efforts, recently elaborated on this personal choice in an interview with *Esquire* published on Monday. During the conversation, he offered an intimate glimpse into the reasoning behind his decision to raise his children in France, painting a vivid picture of a childhood defined more by meaningful human connection and tactile experiences than by digital distractions or fame-induced pressures.
Clooney explained that his family lives on a spacious farm in the French countryside, a lifestyle that holds deep roots in his own upbringing. Reflecting on his past, he admitted that as a child, he once resented his time growing up on a farm and yearned for something different. Yet, with the wisdom of age and perspective, he now cherishes the very experiences he once wished to escape. For his children, he said, this rural environment provides a profound freedom that modern city life too often lacks. Rather than spending hours mesmerized by iPads or the constant buzz of electronic screens, Clooney’s children share meals with adults, participate in household routines by clearing their dishes, and generally live lives grounded in simplicity and responsibility. He described this kind of upbringing as more wholesome and balanced, noting that it allows his children to develop a keen sense of normalcy largely absent in the world of celebrity.
The actor, who is now sixty-four, admitted that he once worried deeply about the prospect of raising children in Los Angeles, particularly within what he called the pervasive “culture of Hollywood.” He feared that the entertainment industry’s often superficial values and intense public scrutiny might overshadow his children’s individuality, depriving them of a fair and unfiltered start in life. In contrast, he spoke warmly of France, a place where fame holds far less power and where public curiosity about celebrities is noticeably muted. Clooney made clear that he has no desire for his children to inherit the baggage of his profession — no need to navigate the constant worry of lurking paparazzi or to be unfairly compared to other celebrities’ offspring. He seeks, in essence, to grant them anonymity, a rare and precious gift in the modern world.
George and his wife, the distinguished human rights attorney Amal Clooney, welcomed their twins, Alexander and Ella, in 2017. Though their careers place them in the public eye, the couple has consistently and firmly defended their children’s privacy. In a lighthearted moment during the same *Esquire* interview, Clooney joked about the generational gap between himself and his young children. He noted, with characteristic wit, that he felt fortunate to be old enough that by the time his son begins forging his own path in life, comparisons between father and son would likely feel far-fetched — quipping that he himself might then be too busy “gumming his bread” to notice.
This underlying desire to shield their children from unnecessary attention has defined much of the Clooneys’ family philosophy. Their protectiveness gained public attention in November 2021, when George Clooney wrote an open letter to media outlets urging them to refrain from publishing any photographs of his children. In the letter, he cited not only the normal concerns of parental privacy but also the unique risks posed by Amal’s demanding and high-profile work. As a prominent lawyer who routinely represents victims of terrorism and human rights abuses, Amal’s professional life often puts her in proximity to volatile international cases. Clooney made clear that keeping their family life discreet is as much about personal safety as it is about emotional peace.
Amal herself echoed these sentiments in a *Glamour* interview earlier this year, where she discussed some of the deliberate measures the Clooneys have adopted to preserve intimacy and privacy within their home. Among her household rules is a subtle but meaningful one — a strict “no-phone” policy for guests. This practice not only safeguards the children’s privacy but also encourages genuine, face-to-face conversation in an era when digital devices have become omnipresent. Amal observed that parenthood amplifies one’s sensitivity to intrusion, turning what might once have been a minor annoyance into a deeper concern for a child’s protection and mental well-being. She emphasized that the family takes every precaution possible to ensure that outside noise and media influence have minimal effect on their children’s development.
The notion of a quieter, more grounded life is not new to Clooney, and his affection for rural France continues to shape his perspective. In a February conversation with *The New York Times*, he reaffirmed that his farm there serves as his family’s primary residence, even though he also owns homes in England and his native Kentucky. He reflected on the irony of his own journey — that as a young boy growing up in Kentucky, he longed to flee the agricultural lifestyle, to swap fields and tractors for the allure of excitement elsewhere. Yet, years and countless experiences later, he finds himself drawn back to the same rhythms of nature that once felt confining. “I drive the tractor,” he said, describing these routines not as burdens but as opportunities for renewal. For Clooney, this return to pastoral life represents not regression but restoration — the best possible route to offering his children what he calls “a normal life.”
A representative for Clooney did not immediately respond to *Business Insider’s* request for comment outside of regular business hours, but his words and lifestyle choices speak persuasively for themselves. Clooney’s story aligns with a growing movement among public figures who have reconsidered the pressures of Los Angeles, particularly the toll that fame-driven culture can exact on families.
He is far from alone in this decision. In a 2024 *SiriusXM* interview, actress Jessica Biel discussed similar motivations for leaving Los Angeles with her husband, musician Justin Timberlake. Their choice was guided by the desire to protect their children from paparazzi intrusion and to anchor their upbringing in calmer, more private surroundings; since 2018, they have primarily lived in Tennessee and Montana. Likewise, in May, actress Lindsay Lohan told *Elle* that she experiences far fewer anxieties as a mother raising her child in Dubai than she would have in either New York or Los Angeles — a city she left in 2014 to step away from relentless public attention. Together, these anecdotes collectively signal a cultural migration among entertainers toward quieter corners of the world, motivated by the simple wish to provide their children with stability, safety, and a sense of ordinary human freedom.
George Clooney’s choice to raise his children away from the Hollywood spotlight, then, reflects not just a personal preference but a broader reflection on what constitutes a meaningful and grounded life in the modern age. By cultivating a home life defined by privacy, responsibility, and the pastoral charm of the French countryside, he seeks to give his children not wealth or glamour, but something infinitely rarer — the peace of a life unobserved.
Sourse: https://www.businessinsider.com/george-clooney-kids-better-life-france-la-hollywood-parenting-family-2025-10
