FAMILY GUY - ‘I HOPE I'M NOT CHASING MY KIDS ROUND WITH A WALKER!'

GEORGE CLOONEY ON BEING AN OLDER FATHER THE PURSUIT OF HAPPINESS AND WHY HIS WIFE AMAL HAS ISSUES WITH HIS DRESS SENSE

- ALAN TANNER

In his latest movie, The Midnight Sky, George Clooney plays a grizzled, unsettled Arctic scientist – but in real life things couldn’t be more different for the 59-year-old actor. Married to international human rights lawyer Amal for more than six years and father to twins Alexander and Ella, now three, George is blissfully happy and says fatherhood has changed his life.

“My daughter, it feels like she might be more leaning towards my wife. She puts everything in order, she really is very smart. And my son likes everything to do with pranking people,” he said back in December.

And while still a force in front of the camera, the actor, who found fame in 90s TV show ER, says he’s embracing his more recent career as a director. He stars in The Midnight Sky, but it’s also his seventh turn behind the lens. And although he’s had some practice, the shoot wasn’t without bumps in the road – very specifically, co-star Felicity Jones’ unexpected baby bump. The actress was reportedly worried she would lose her role in the film but sympathetic George simply made her character pregnant!

Here, George talks about the respect he has for his wife, his “knucklehead” twins and his impressive cooking skills…

A lot has changed for you over the last decade. Why was now the right time to focus on family?

Is there a right age to become a parent? I started late, so all I can do is play catch-up and hope I’m not chasing my kids around with a walker and a cane – or switching diapers [nappies] with them. I don’t know the optimum age to become a parent, but I do know I’m experiencing what most people in the world get to experience, which is the incredible amount of love with two children you are responsible for. I’m very happy about that.