George Clooney Believed He Would 'Never Get Married Again' or Be a Dad until He 'Hit the Jackpot'

George Clooney dated actress Kelly Preston who was "hooked" when he gave her a lift to a party. The A-List star dated many women in Hollywood before finding "the one."

Actor George Clooney and model Kelly Preston met while the same agent represented both after Preston's first marriage to Kevin Gage ended.

George starred in the popular sitcom "Roseanne," while Preston had already established her career in hit movies like "Space Camp" and "Twins."

GEORGE'S RELATIONSHIP WITH PRESTON

Their agent invited them to the same party, and when the filmmaker gave Preston a lift on his Harley Davidson motorbike, she said she was "hooked."

It was not long before the pair moved in together in 1988 and shared an unusual pet – a pot-bellied pig George had bought for his girlfriend as a present.

Regardless of their whirlwind romance, the relationship did not work out. George later married television actress Talia Balsam in 1989. When he married her, he struggled to break into Hollywood.

Meanwhile, Balsam, daughter of Martin Balsam and successful actress Joyce Van Patten, already had a steady career thanks to her famous, wealthy parents. Unlike George's father, a journalist and a news anchorman.

George and Balsam had different interests in what they wanted to do with their lives. The Hollywood leading man, a Kentucky native, was career-driven, whereas his wife wanted a "normal" married life. He wanted an A-List career which created tension between them.

George was not around much during his marriage, seeing that he was hungry for better roles. He was more relaxed about it all. When the couple married, George was 28, younger than his wife. The pair later admitted that they were not ready for marriage.

George, now 60, also acted like a single man in his marriage. Many people who encountered him with his male friends believed he was indeed single.

His spouse was more of a homebody, and he was a party goer. Many were even stunned when they learned that he was a married man. The issue was that the more success he attained, the more women he attracted.

As the years went on, George developed a genuine interest in "giving back" and making a difference, but Balsam did not share that passion. The pair eventually divorced in 1993 after four years of marriage.

GEORGE'S HIGH-PROFILE RELATIONSHIPS

George was later labeled a bachelor because of his disinterest in his marriage to Balsam, 63. Following their divorce, the two-time Academy Award-winner continued to have high-profile relationships.

He started a three-year relationship with actress Kimberly Russell, 57, whom he met on the set of a martini commercial. But the pair split in 1995.

George met model Celine Balitran in 1996 while filming "The Peacemaker" in Paris. Balitran followed the Hollywood star to Los Angeles, where they continued their romance until 1999.

The producer later dated Krista Allen after casting her in "Confessions of a Dangerous Mind," but they broke up in 2004 when he started dating English television presenter Lisa Snowdon.

George and Allen briefly reconciled before parting ways for good in 2006. He and Snowdon had an on-and-off relationship for five years until they eventually broke up in 2006.

The "Ocean's Eleven" star was linked to "Leatherheads" co-star actress Renee Zellweger. However, in an interview with W, the pair laughed off the idea.

George then met model Sarah Larson in 2007 when she worked as a cocktail waitress. The 43-year-old was even his date to the 2008 Academy Awards, but they broke up in May that year.

Italian actress Elisabetta Canalis was first spotted at the back of George's motorcycle in June 2009, but the couple did not confirm their relationship until that September. The four-time Golden Globe Award-winner ended their romance in 2011.

George then moved on to the former WWE champion Stacy Keibler in July 2011 and was spotted vacationing in Lake Cuomo. Before breaking up, the duo attended many red-carpet events together, including the 2013 Academy Awards.

HE SAID HE WOULD NEVER REMARRY

After his first marriage failed, George constantly had flings for over two decades. Over the years, he swore never to tie the knot again. In January 2014, he was at the Monuments Men press and addressed speculations that he would remain a bachelor forever:

"This fascination with my love life is something. I keep saying I'll never get married again or have children, but people don't want to believe me."

When asked by W magazine, in their December 2013 issue, whether he would take another wife, he said: "I haven't met her yet."

Once again, in January 2014, George told Esquire Magazine regarding marriage and kids that he had not had any aspirations in that way ever, saying he was not good at his first marriage.

The director felt strongly about being a dad as well. Although he had a strong relationship with his father, Nick Clooney, who had a huge influence on him, George had no intention of becoming one himself:

"I've always known fatherhood wasn't for me. Raising kids is a huge commitment and has to be your top priority. For me, that priority is my work. That's why I'll never get married again."

That was not to say that the idea of being a dad had not crossed his mind. The Oscar-winner admitted that he previously thought about being a father someday, but it was not a priority for him.

He told London Evening Standard in 2008 that he would not have the patience or dedication one needed to take care of a family. Even though he admired those qualities in other people, it was not for him. "I'm doing what I want to," the movie star added.

THE WHEELS TURNED ON HIM YEARS LATER

George unexpectedly met the love of his life in July 2013, in the comfort of his home. In a sit-down interview with David Letterman, the screenwriter opened up about how he met his second wife, human rights attorney Amal Clooney.

George described the experienced as "the wildest thing." When a mutual friend told him that he would come and visit and asked if he could bring a pal along, he agreed.

The "ER" star revealed that he received a call from his agent who said to him: "I met this woman who's coming to your house who you're going to marry."

After their initial meet-up, George and the British-Lebanese barrister exchanged email addresses to stay in touch. He later admitted that he thought it would never lead to anything because he was unaware that she would want to go out with him and believed they were just friends.

But as the emailing continued and the catching up progressed, George realized that they were more than just friends. By February 2017, he knew that the 44-year-old was the one and began planning a proposal.

George asked for Amal's hand in marriage in April 2017 during an intimate candle-lit pasta dinner just six months into their relationship. Stunned by the gesture, she took time to respond and made her future husband wait 20 minutes on his knees before she finally said yes.

THEIR EXTRAVAGANT WEDDING & BABIES

The couple had a star-studded wedding ceremony on September 24, 2014, at the Aman Canal Grande hotel in Venice, Italy. The bride walked down the aisle draped in a custom lace Oscar de la Renta gown with a bateau neckline and a sweeping tulle train.

Amal told Vogue at the time that she and her groom wanted a wedding that was romantic and elegant, and Oscar was the only one capable of capturing the mood in a dress. Moreover, those in attendance for the nuptials were Matt Damon, Cindy Crawford, and Emily Blunt.

The wedding venue was in the gilded walls of the seven-star resort, covered in white roses, hydrangeas, and lilies with an endless supply of candelabras which provided a backdrop of the 30-minute ceremony officiated by former Rome Mayor Walter Veltroni.

A few years into their marriage, George and Amal expanded their family when they welcomed fraternal twins Alexander and Ella in June 2017.

In an interview with The Hollywood Reporter, George admitted that he changed the kids' diapers which his friends found hilarious because he did not want to be a dad.

His spouse revealed what a great father he is to their children, which the proud dad found surprising. George said he was more content with having a home "filled with the warm sounds of babies crying."

In November 2021, he got candid about the emotional moment he and Amal decided to become parents. In an episode of the "WTF with Marc Maron" podcast, George reiterated his statement on never previously wanting to get married again, let alone have children:

"This extraordinary human being walked into my life, and I fell madly in love, and I knew from the minute I met her that everything was going to be different."

According to George, he and his wife had been married for a year when they decided on a walk outside of a friend's house that they wanted to have kids. While on a stroll, Amal suggested that they were lucky to have found each other, adding that luck should be shared "with some other folks."

George said a silent moment followed while explaining that neither of them had decided, and he asked Amal if she was eager to be a parent. She then interrupted him and mentioned that they should try it.

"I have to say, it was very emotional because I was convinced that wasn't my lot in life and was comfortable with that," George explained. He eventually became a father at age 56. The star and his wife are first-time parents.

He said his favorite part about being a dad late in life was that all his age mates' kids are all grown up and away in college, and they laugh at him for it. Moreso, George shared he and Amal are happy about their parenthood and have embraced it.

Speaking about his brood in December 2021 with The Guardian, he noted that his twins are different kids. Alexander loves laughing, and Ella is more serious, and their dad added they are born with their personalities.

Amal and her husband keep their little ones away from the glare of the limelight to avoid putting their lives in jeopardy. George previously wrote an open letter to all media outlets asking them to refrain from splashing images of his brood.

The letter stated that although he was a public figure, he would accept being bombarded with photos because it was part of his job, noting that his children have not made that commitment.

Upon learning that they would be having twins, George revealed that he was "gobsmacked" at the news, given that his sister-in-law also gave birth to her set of twins.

He recounted when the couple went for a sonogram, and the doctor told them they were having a boy, "baby boy, fantastic" right before telling them the pair they would be having a baby girl too, to his shock.

George said he would not compromise in raising his offspring while explaining that he was aware of celebrity with kids and the danger of having means with kids.

Additionally, in November 2020, he told GQ that after his divorce from Balsam, he convinced himself that his life was whole until he realized that it was not:

"I didn't know how un-full it was until I met Amal. And then everything changed. And I was like, 'Oh, actually, this has been a huge empty space.'"

He and Amal are on the same page. The mom of two said their marriage has been incredible and sang his praises in an interview with Time magazine this month. She said George is an incredibly inspirational and supportive partner and that their home is filled with love and laughter.

The feeling is mutual with her spouse, who told Today that she is an amazing mother and a great wife as well, adding, "I feel like I've hit the jackpot."