EXCLUSIVE: George Clooney's Wife Amal Urged Him to Get Healthy and 'Ditch His Drinking' After Terrifying 2020 Hospitalization
Amal Clooney encouraged George to make changes for his health.
May 5 2026, Published 4:50 p.m. ET
George Clooney's wife, Amal, pushed him to make better choices and to get in shape in a healthy way after he was hospitalized in 2020 for pancreatitis following rapid weight loss for his role in Midnight Sky.
Ahead of the Ocean's 11 actor's 65th birthday, RadarOnline.com revisits details on his health journey and what set him back on the right track.
George Clooney Wasn't Taking Good Enough 'Care' of Himself
George Clooney was hospitalized in 2020 for pancreatitis.
After he was released from the hospital, George admitted he had been "trying too hard to lose the weight quickly" and wasn't taking enough "care" of himself throughout the process.
Despite this realization, Amal was still "unhappy" and even "angry" that he put his "health on the line" for a job, according to a source.
"Amal’s fed up with George’s risk-taking," the source said at the time. "She’s demanding he take better care of himself — so he’ll be around to care for his kids!"
George Clooney's Updated Workout Routine
George Clooney turns 65 on May 6, 2026.
The following year, another insider spilled that George eventually realized he needed to be in "better condition" for his twins, Ella and Alexander, as they got older – not to mention for his career as a Hollywood star.
He began "working out six days a week," doing cardio and yoga to revitalize his body and his mind.
But Amal took it a step further. A third source revealed that she pushed him to quit drinking alcohol...at least for a Dry January.
Ditching Drinking
Amal Clooney pushed George to slow down on drinking, according to a source.
"His wife was all over him about ditching his drinking after he was hospitalized in December," the source explained. "She wants him to take better care of himself so he can properly take care of his family."
However, the actor found himself missing having a drink every now and then as he worked on his health.
"He’s feeling better and looks great, but he’s been a real pain in the butt," the source added. "Even Amal is looking forward to when he can safely have a couple of drinks again!"
George and Amal Clooney's Ups and Downs
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Amal Clooney reportedly encouraged George to pull back on drinking.
Alcohol and health aren't the only topics that the couple has reportedly been at odds about in the past. As Radar previously reported, George's packed schedule as an actor in his 60s is frustrating the 48-year-old lawyer.
"From Amal's perspective, George has totally gone back on his word," an insider explained. "He's been promising her for years that he was almost ready to slow down and step away from acting to focus on his life with her and the kids."
"Amal bent over backwards to support him doing his big Broadway play in New York," added the insider. "She uprooted the kids' lives, and her own, because he promised it was going to be his swan song. But now that he's done the play and recovered from the exhaustion, he's totally changed his tune and he's talking about all kinds of new things he wants to take on."
Despite their ups and downs, their relationship is seemingly still going strong. The pair met in 2013 through a mutual friends and sparks flew from early on in their romance.
They started dating within months of being introduced and by April 2014, George asked her to marry him. They tied the knot on September 27 of that year, and they welcomed their twins three years later.
