FRIENDLY INTERVENTION
George Clooney turns to friend and former co-star Julia Roberts for advice as his four-year union with wife Amal hits an all-time low
Julia Roberts gives marriage-saving advice to her pal George Clooney.
George and Amal Clooney jus t marked their fouryear wedding anniversary in September. But instead of hitting their stride at this point in their marriage, insiders tell Life & Style the couple is in the midst of a rough patch. “They’ve been having problems that have even led them to stay in separate bedrooms at times,” says an insider. George, 57, and Amal, 40, “disagree over everything from his lingering bachelor ways to Amal’s harsh put-downs.” Where to raise 17-month- old twins Ella and Alexander is also a recurring issue. “He wants to move back to Hollywood full time,” says a second insider, “while she wants to raise them in London.”
Now one of George’s frequent co-stars and friends has come up with a solution. Life & Style has learned that George has been confiding in pal Julia Roberts — whose own problems with cinematographer Danny Moder during their 16-year marriage have sparked headlines. “George has really been leaning on Julia lately as he tries to navigate this crisis,” explains a source. “Julia urged him and Amal to attend the marriage boot camp that she and Danny went to. She credits a counselor there with saving their relationship.”
TRYING SOMETHING NEW
The Sonoma County, Calif., retreat helped Julia, 51, and Danny, 49, get over issues of jealousy, control and more — and Amal has taken note of the results. In the past, the human rights lawyer “rejected George’s suggestion of counseling,” says the source. “But she came around when he told her how effective it had been for Julia. She said she’d research the center Julia recommended.”
That’s given George a spark of hope amid the drama — a good thing, since tensions have been escalating. In October, Amal skipped George and close friend Rande Gerber’s Casamigos Tequila Halloween parties in LA and Las Vegas. “If they’re going to work through their issues, Amal has said George has to cut off Rande,” the source says of the actor’s longtime party pal. George thinks the request goes too far, and now the couple need help before it’s too late. “George is really hoping he can persuade Amal to attend the boot camp so they can start reconnecting and remembering why they fell in love in the first place,” says the source. “He wants things to get back to how they were.”