George Clooney showed off his new French citizenship with flair at the 2026 Golden Globes. Sharing the stage with his Ocean’s Eleven co-star Don Cheadle, the 64-year-old actor kicked things off by greeting the audience in French before presenting an award. The moment came just weeks after President Donald Trump had commented on his naturalization.
George Clooney shows off his French skills at Golden Globes 2026
George Clooney and Don Cheadle teamed up on stage at the Beverly Hilton to present the Golden Globe for Best Motion Picture Drama. Clooney, fresh off getting French citizenship with Amal and their kids, Alexander and Ella, kicked things off with a cheerful “Bonsoir, mes amis.” He added, “C’est un honneur d’être ici” (“it’s an honor to be here”), charming the crowd with his French.
Cheadle jumped in, greeting Clooney with a “bonsoir,” and the two shared playful banter that had everyone smiling. Clooney poked fun at his recent loss to Timothée Chalamet in the Best Actor in a Comedy category. He joked, “We’re all winners here.” Cheadle clapped back, saying, “Not really — you aren’t.” The duo then handed the Globe to Chloé Zhao’s Hamnet. ( Via People)
News about Clooney getting French citizenship stirred up quite a buzz in the weeks before the Globes. On December 31, President Trump took to Truth Social to slam the Clooneys, calling them “two of the worst political prognosticators of all time.” The current US President also threw shade at France over what he called a “major crime problem.” Clooney responded with a cheeky comment about the midterms, joking, “We have to make America great again. We’ll start in November.”
Meanwhile, France laid out the welcome mat. The French Ministry for Europe and Foreign Affairs said they were thrilled to have George and Amal join the national community. The Clooneys have been living in the countryside in France since 2021, after buying a sprawling estate. Clooney told Esquire that farm life has been a grounding experience, even though he hated farms as a kid. His own children are thriving, with less screen time and more family meals.
Originally written by Rishabh Shandilya on Mandatory.
