Thank you to Karen for the article.
On the cover: "Exclusive. George on ER. I'm go glad
they didn't kill me off.
Inside: Leaving ER will give me more time with Celine
George Clooney has spelled out exactly why he's just celebrated his third anniversary with
French law student Celine Balitran: she's a home-loving woman who doesn't shop for clothes
and couldn't care less about his stardom.
'She didn't even know I was an actor when she agreed to go out with me,' he says proudly.
'My relationship with Celine has made me sure of one thing - I've lost interest in
actresses. The fact that I'm now with a totally natural woman, who doesn't care about
Hollywood, is one of the best things about our life together.'
George, 37, who lives with 25-year-old Celine at his ranch in Los Angeles, has even chosen
to spend more time with her by quitting ER for a career in films and television
production.
The actor's new company Maysville Pictures (named after Maysville, Kentucky, where he was
born) will allow him to work from home and spend more time with Celine.
Viewers on Sky One will witness his final appearances as Dr Doug Ross in a two-part story
on 8 and 15 April (it will be shown on Channel 4 in May). He's dismissed in spectacular
fashion after he secretly undertakes the mercy killing of a young boy at the request of
his parents. When hospital bosses find out, he's forced to resign in disgrace.
I've been working seven days a week, what with the show and extra movies,' he says. 'Now
I'll be down to six and a half days. No, seriously, I'll be able to plan what I do and how
much time I spend at work. Celine's an important factor in that decision.'
George is specific on the main attractions of a woman now connected to showbusines. 'It's
important to me that we started off together the right way. When I met her, she was
working part-time as a waitress in a restaurant in Paris and I was just another guy coming
on to her.
'We went out without me telling her what I did for a living. The TV series wasn't on in
France and the films One Fine Day and Peacemaker weren't playing (COULD THIS BE BECAUSE
THE PEACEMAKER HADN'T EVEN FINISHED BEING FILMED?) so no one gave me a second glance. 'She
was so natural. We talked about her work as a law student and how she was paying her way
by working part-time. In fact, we talked about
everything but me, which was great. 'She admitted that she must be one
of the few people in Paris who didn't go to the movies. She actually
said: "Actors always seem so big-headed," and I thought: "Is she
having me on?"'
George insists that Celine, who has recently combined kindergarten
teaching in LA with modelling for Christian Dior, didn't know that he
was a star until she visited him in America. 'We went out and some
people started calling: "Hey, George." She turned around to me and
said: "How do they know your name?" To tell the truth, I was reluctant
to say.'
Once married to actress Talia Balsam and a live-in partner of Kelly
Preston, now John Travolta's wife, George makes it clear that his days
with actresses are over.
'The crazy thing is, it's very difficult for me to meet anyone but
actresses,' he says. 'Most of us have partners who are in the same kind
of job. I've broken out and am enjoying the experience. Celine doesn't
need constant reassurance. She spends her days working with children
rather than buying clothes. And she doesn't talk constantly about her
image and box-office figures.'
But he neatly sidesteps the question of whether he will propose marriage
or when and if they will have children. 'We've already married about a
hundred times and had a family of 10 kids, according to some
newspapers.'
George's career is at a crossroads following his exit from ER after five
years. He's looking at various movie offers and has been writing a new
TV comedy series called Kilroy, based on his own experiences in
Hollywood.
'It's time-consuming and hard work, but I'm having great fun. I'm
calling my friends, asking for their individual Hollywood nightmares to
add to my own.' The hero is likely to be a young unknown, yet to be
cast, and will face the sort of humiliations and career set-backs that
prevented George from becoming a star until his thirties.
His long-term ambition is to bring back live TV drama. He's already
tried it with ER and wants to have regular TV slots for such
risk-taking. Next, though, he's back on the big screen in World War II
film The Thin Red Line, which opens this week.
And he might return to ER. 'I wanted an exit that allowed me to return
from time to time,' he says. 'It was a great moment when one of the
producers said: "We've decided to let you live."
'Anything is possible in the future. I should know better, of course,
but I'm feeling very optimistic. And I get to stay at home a little
more. I hope Celine will appreciate it.....'
Garth Pearce."