EXCLUSIVE: George Clooney 'Splits' From Amal! Actor's 'Vanity Move' to NYC for Six-Month Theater Stint Sparks Fears Marriage is Over

Hollywood heartthrob George Clooney is ducking out of family life for six months to tread the boards in NYC and he's leaving wife Amal at home holding the kids... in the UK.

And his solo move to the Big Apple while she raises the twins alone has caused some concern among friends of the couple, RadarOnline.com can reveal.

One Hollywood insider says that Clooney is "an absolutely doting dad", so he will "struggle" being away from seven-year-old Ella and Alexander for such a long time.

"Of course, he'll miss Amal hugely too. George's hopes that the family will be able to make a long-distance living situation work for the duration of his New York stint won't be easily realised. Amal has got her hands full with her work as a human rights lawyer, and the twins are in school, " says the pal.

"They won't be able to drop everything and head over every other weekend, even with private jets at their disposal.

"George plans on flying back whenever his schedule allows but it's not going to be an easy time. It is seen by some as a vanity move because he hardly needs the money and surely time with the children as they grow up is more important.

"It has left some friends wondering if this says more about the state of their marriage. There has been talk of a possible split. Whatever the situation, the next six months will be a testing time for them both."

Clooney, 63, will make his theatrical debut on Broadway in March. He has adapted his 2005 film Good Night, and Good Luck into a stage play.

He'll be in New York long before that though, as he needs to be in rehearsals.

The play is scheduled to run until June, but if it is a hit, it will likely be extended.

Heading to the stage is a risky move, given he is coming off a string of films, including The Boys in the Boat, and Wolfs, that have underperformed at the box office.

"Actors can really put their reputations on the line on stage," our insider explains. "Working in theater is prestigious, but it's high-risk so George's friends are surprised that he's agreed to take on the project."

It's yet another decision that is causing those closest to the A-lister to scratch their heads. In July, the actor penned a provocative New

York Times opinion piece begging Democrat President Joe Biden to withdraw himself from the 2024 presidential election, which he did.

Amal, 46, was perplexed about why her husband meddled so deliberately in the US election, knowing it would invite an avalanche of criticism.

"Amal generally prefers a more behind-the-scenes approach when it comes to politics," our insider says.

"They haven't been able to find much common ground when it comes to news and current affairs lately, and that has always been a big part of their relationship."

Friends are hoping that his run on Broadway is a huge critical and commercial success and that he "gets his mojo back".

Adds the source: "There is some concern about how he'll cope if the play flops, especially as Amal won't be directly on hand to help pick up the pieces."

Have a tip? Send it to us! Email RadarOnline.com at tips@radaronline.com.