Ellen Barkin talks about George Clooney and Amal

Ellen Barkin was on Watch What Happens Live with Andy Cohen and Anderson Cooper today.....Andy and Anderson asked her a bunch of questions about George and Amal's wedding. You can see the clips of the show at this link:

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She talks about George/Amal in the first clip posted, starting at about 3 minutes into the clip. She gave some genuine answers to a couple of questions in particular, like when Andy asks her whether she was surprised that George got married finally, she said "No, because I always felt he would, I thought he was just waiting until he felt like he wanted to"

Then Andy asks her what is one thing about Amal that we don't know? She says that, "she takes great care of him, and all of his friends".


It's nice to hear from Ellen in particular about them because she's been friends with George for so long.

Love that! All we see is George takes great care of Amal...but maybe behind the scenes she also takes grea. care of his husband. Like that scarf since last February and that sexy tight blue shirt.

Oh at last some sincere information about
George's wife, instead of rubbish gossip.

I'm hoping for some more of the same. 

Here's a direct youtube link to the clip:

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Thanks again kat for posting.  I don't know how others here feel but I can't get enough comments about George  and Amal's relationship by people who actually know them.  I love Ellen's remark that Amal takes great care of George. Only wish she could have said more.  But it's so obvious how much George's friends respect him and Amal and try to protect their privacy by not revealing too much.

Nice Video, thanks for sharing. really nice what Ellen said

Donnamarie wrote:Thanks again kat for posting.  I don't know how others here feel but I can't get enough comments about George  and Amal's relationship by people who actually know them.  I love Ellen's remark that Amal takes great care of George. Only wish she could have said more.  But it's so obvious how much George's friends respect him and Amal and try to protect their privacy by not revealing too much.                                                                                                

Thanks, Kat. I saw the program and was a little surprised that Ellen Barkin actually gave a serious answer to the question. I thought what she said was very sweet. Thinking about it later, though, it struck me as a little odd (and NO I'm not saying anything about their relationship here - just commenting on what Ellen said). She's describing a newly-wed, and she says "She takes very good care of George... and all his friends." Sounds more like an old man's nurse than a new bride! It just struck me as an odd thing to say about a newly-wed.

This wasn't odd to me.

I remember many years ago when Johnny Depp and Vanessa Paradise came together. He always described the Moment as "she was taking care of me". And he didn't meant to compare her with a Nurse. He said at the time it was nice to come home and she would cook for him (he didn't mean woman need to cook) and treat him normal doesn't matter how late he came home at night and not like a famous Person and use him. He was around 40 years at the time and she around 30 years.

If I get married that is what I want People to say about my husband too. It means a lot. but that's just me...

I think this is Ellen being diplomatic but positive. Very sweet phrase

She clearly had a great time with Ben Emmerson, QC!

I don't think we should take his friends' comments any more seriously than we take the negative comments. What do you think a friend is going to say? "I can't stand her!"? Friends are supposed to be supportive.

Taking care of someone can mean many things.  But in my mind it's all positive. Being thoughtful, caring, helpful, wanting to please.

Sorry if I offended anyone. Of course in a relationship you want someone who cares for you and takes care of you. Ellen's comment just struck me as something you might say after a couple has been married for a few years - or as an answer to "Why do you think they didn't get divorced like so many people expected them to?".

Ellen seems to like Amal, (and she obviously likes Ben Emerson Didn't I see somewhere that they're engaged?). But when asked "What can you tell us about Amal that we don't know?" I guess I expected an answer something like "She's very funny" or "She's a great cook"? or something like that.

LizzyNY wrote:Sorry if I offended anyone. Of course in a relationship you want someone who cares for you and takes care of you. Ellen's comment just struck me as something you might say after a couple has been married for a few years - or as an answer to "Why do you think they didn't get divorced like so many people expected them to?".

Ellen seems to like Amal, (and she obviously likes Ben Emerson Didn't I see somewhere that they're engaged?). But when asked "What can you tell us about Amal that we don't know?" I guess I expected an answer something like "She's very funny" or "She's a great cook"? or something like that.

Lizzy-- You aren't the only one, it struck me that way too and I wondered if Amal would still be "taking care of him" when he is geriatric in his 70s  and she is his age now.

LizzyNY wrote:Sorry if I offended anyone. Of course in a relationship you want someone who cares for you and takes care of you. Ellen's comment just struck me as something you might say after a couple has been married for a few years - or as an answer to "Why do you think they didn't get divorced like so many people expected them to?".

Ellen seems to like Amal, (and she obviously likes Ben Emerson Didn't I see somewhere that they're engaged?). But when asked "What can you tell us about Amal that we don't know?" I guess I expected an answer something like "She's very funny" or "She's a great cook"? or something like that.

That'll never happen.  All answers from anyone asked about Amal, George, marriage etc will probably be generic, flattering in a vague way.  No one will want to upset the George apple cart.

I completely get what you mean, Lizzy. I had the same reaction. When I first read it, I thought, "Well, good. It's not one-sided." But then it didn't sit quite right. It was an odd way to put it.

But consider the source. Ellen B, as someone who has been around the block and has taken more than one hit as a woman who goes after the rich guys, is probably acutely aware of the perception that Amal is being over-indulged by her wealthy husband. Her comment was probably her way of saying, "She does things for him, too, so much so that she's now a part of his important relationships with his friends." It may have been an attempt to show the reciprocity in their marriage.

But yeah, I would have expected something like, "She likes hip-hop." or "She does impressions." Not "She takes care of her husband." That should be kind of a given, right?

Way2Old - It's a given to you and me. Maybe in their circles it isn't.

That's a scary thought Lizzy.

LizzyNY wrote:Sorry if I offended anyone. Of course in a relationship you want someone who cares for you and takes care of you. Ellen's comment just struck me as something you might say after a couple has been married for a few years - or as an answer to "Why do you think they didn't get divorced like so many people expected them to?".

Ellen seems to like Amal, (and she obviously likes Ben Emerson Didn't I see somewhere that they're engaged?). But when asked "What can you tell us about Amal that we don't know?" I guess I expected an answer something like "She's very funny" or "She's a great cook"? or something like that.

She broke it off citing, "I don't know him well enough".  In other words, "he can't give me the life that I deserve".  Ellen is trying to stay on George's good side, so she'll say whatever she thinks he would want her to say.

I just find it so funny how one single comment by Ellen about Amal can be construed in so many different ways by everyone here. And to the point of not even being sincere in her meaning.

Agree Donnamarie, if she would have said that about George then it would be the "oh wow" factor.
I really think it doesn't matter what George friends say about Amal it will always construed in so many ways because it is Amal. Women have it always harder in life.

Nicky - I think what people say about them will always be construed in many ways because none of us knows them personally. We don't know first-hand what their relationship is like, so we pick up bits and pieces of information wherever we can. If it comes from someone who knows them maybe we trust it, but even then we can't be sure it's true. Everything is pretty much guesswork and speculation. I doubt we'll ever know the truth. (And, though I hate to say it because I'm nosy as hell, bottom line: It's really none of our business!)

Lizzy....I love your last line and agree but....
We do like to know what we're allowed to know,
because we're fans.
I usually trust what someone says about either
George or his wife, when they actually know them.
 Am I silly to do that ? I don't know.  

LizzyNY wrote:Nicky - I think what people say about them will always be construed in many ways because none of us knows them personally. We don't know first-hand what their relationship is like, so we pick up bits and pieces of information wherever we can. If it comes from someone who knows them maybe we trust it, but even then we can't be sure it's true. Everything is pretty much guesswork and speculation. I doubt we'll ever know the truth. (And, though I hate to say it because I'm nosy as hell, bottom line: It's really none of our business!)

I didn't mean "them" I meant Amal. I think when George friends say something about George we believe it more and if they say something about Amal then it is construed in many ways. it is reflected in different threads we have like this one.

Of course everything is just guesswork and speculation about them. I should apply as "dog sitter" for Einstein, maybe that brings me further to his inside circle  

Well sure, a friend is always going to say nice things in public about george's partner because that's what friends do. That doesn't necessarily mean that they're lying however . . .

Katiedot wrote:Well sure, a friend is always going to say nice things in public about george's partner because that's what friends do.  That doesn't necessarily mean that they're lying however . . .

Except that they might be! That's why everything is guesswork and interpretation. IMO, the only way we'll ever know the truth is if George or Amal speaks up - which will NEVER happen. And even if it did, there are always 3 sides to every story: his, hers and the truth. So I guess we'll never really know. We'll just happily go on interpreting, arguing, guessing....