George Clooney slams paper for ‘negligent’ story
George Clooney has chastised a British newspaper over a “completely fabricated” article claiming his fiancée’s mother disapproves of the impending marriage for religious reasons.
Clooney said that the claims about his future mother-in-law Baria Alamuddin were untrue and irresponsible. The actor and London lawyer Amal Alamuddin announced their engagement in April. Beirut-born Alamuddin comes from a Druse family — adherents of a monotheistic religion based mainly in Lebanon, Syria and Israel.
The Daily Mail cited unnamed “friends” as saying Amal risked being “cast out of the community” because she was not marrying a Druse man. The newspaper said “several women have been murdered” for not abiding by strict Druse rules.
Clooney said in a statement to USA Today that “none of the story is true. Amal’s mother is not Druse. She has not been to Beirut since Amal and I have been dating, and she is in no way against the marriage.”
Clooney added that “to exploit religious differences where none exist is at the very least negligent and more appropriately dangerous. We have family members all over the world, and the idea that someone would inflame any part of that world for the sole reason of selling papers should be criminal,” he said.
The Druse are a close-knit community and rarely marry outside their sect. But some Druse have welcomed Clooney. Walid Jumblatt, political leader of the sect in Lebanon, said recently that he hoped the couple would soon visit the Druse heartland.
Clooney will bring us “great publicity,” Jumblatt said. “He can make a movie about the Druse sect.”
NBC London received an apologetic statement from the publication shortly after Clooney’s statement. “The MailOnline story was not a fabrication but supplied in good faith by a reputable and trusted freelance journalist. She based her story on conversations with a long standing contact who has strong connections with senior members of the Lebanese community in the U.K. and the Druze in Beirut,” the organization said. “We only became aware of Mr. Clooney’s concerns this morning and have launched a full investigation. However, we accept Mr. Clooney’s assurance that the story is inaccurate and we apologize to him, Miss Amal Alamuddin and her mother, Baria, for any distress caused.”