For George Clooney, Fatherhood ‘Is More Profound Than Any Change in His Life,’ Says Dad Nick

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Not so long ago, the prospect of George Clooney being a besotted husband — much less a dad to newborn twins — seemed fairly unlikely.
But one person who always knew the one-time world’s most eligible bachelor, 56, had it in him? His father, Nick Clooney.
“I’ve been telling George since he was 30 that I thought he would be a great parent,” the elder Clooney tells PEOPLE.
Whenever George mentioned how he didn’t see kids in his future, Nick recalls, “I would listen to him patiently and then finally step in and say, ‘George, some astounding woman is going to knock your socks off, end of story.’ And it’s exactly what happened.”
Want all the latest pregnancy and birth announcements, plus celebrity mom blogs? [url=https://pages.email.people.com/moms-babies/? Thanks source=in-article]Click here to get those and more in the PEOPLE Babies newsletter[/url].
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RELATED VIDEO: George and Amal Clooney Welcome Twins!




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[size=14]George and Amal Clooney Welcome Twins!
George and Amal Clooney Welcome Twins!
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Indeed, just seven months after George and now-wife Amal met in 2013 through mutual friends, they got engaged. The couple were married in Venice, Italy, over a four-day wedding celebration in September 2014.
And by all signs, they’re naturals. “Oh my God, they were so beautiful, so happy, so contented,” says Amal’s mother Baria Alamuddin, who was on hand for Ella and Alexander‘s June 6 birth.
“You just look at them and you feel like they’ve been a mother and father for their whole lives,” she adds.
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[size=14]How Alicia Silverstone Maintains a Strict Vegan Diet For Her Son Without Judging Other Moms
Alicia Silverstone has gotten a lot of attention for her parenting style but she stopped by Mamarazzi to talk about how she reacts to contrasting parenting styles.
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RELATED: Presents for the Twins! All About the Gift Sets New Grandmother Baria Bought for George and Amal Clooney’s Babies
Nick, too, is heartened by how George has embraced fatherhood and appreciates what a big step it is.



“This change is more profound than any change in his life,” says Nick, “and he is excited.”
For more on George and Amal Clooney and their new life with the twins, pick up the latest issue of PEOPLE, on newsstands Friday.[/size]

EXCLUSIVE: George Clooney's Dad Talks Son's Twins, Jokes That Father's Day Is a 'Minor League

Growing Up Clooney: How Ella and Alexander Will Be Raised in the UK

Alex Ungerman , ET 2:56 PM. MDT June 14, 2017
 

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George and Amal Clooney's twins are already quite the babblers!

At least that's what George's dad, Nick Clooney, told ET when he spoke to Nancy O'Dell to discuss how little Ella and Alexander are doing.

"They're wonderful, and I'll tell you this: They're both very vocal," the proud grandfather revealed. "Oh my, yes."

MORE: George Clooney's Dad Nick Says His Son Will Be a 'Hands-On' Father to His 'Beautiful' Twins

And while the couple welcomed their two tykes on June 6, with Father's Day right around the corner, Nick hilariously revealed that he shared with his son the blunt truth about the holiday.

"I was explaining to George on this holiday thing, that Father's Day is pretty much of a minor league holiday and he is going to have to get used to that," Nick shared. "As long as he didn't get the stretch marks, he doesn't get the adulation."

"Mother's Day is a big deal, Father's Day is just a supporting character," he added.

That's a fair point!

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Still, Nick said he has seen a changed man in his son ever since the actor first found out he was going to be a dad.

"Since the word came out that he was going to be a father, no question about it, he changed," Nick explained. "This has nothing to do with age, but this is a different kind of maturity. When you figure out that you're going to take that standard responsibility that everybody else has done for years, and now you're on the merry-go-round. You're in the middle."

One thing that this sort of maturity entails -- a lot of sleepless nights.

WATCH: George and Amal Clooney Join Twins Club! Jennifer Lopez, Chris Hemsworth and More Stars With Double the Joy!

"I suspect, and i can't verify this," Nick said, "he will not get any standard rest until about December 15."

And it's important to Nick to give Amal and George the time they need to adjust to their new reality.

"I'm going to stay as far away as possible until they get some kind of an idea of what this is all about, and they're in the midst of doing that now," he said. "They deserve as much quiet time and private time as possible."

EXCLUSIVE: Julie Chen Praises George Clooney's Dad Skills and 8 More A-List Pals Who Can't Stop Gushing!

That's some pretty sound wisdom from a happy grandpa!

I love Nick he has a great sense of humor.

I love that his parents decided to give them some space to figure things out on their own.

And it's important to Nick to give Amal and George the time they need to adjust to their new reality.

"I'm going to stay as far away as possible until they get some kind of an idea of what this is all about, and they're in the midst of doing that now," he said. "They deserve as much quiet time and private time as possible."

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Nick is a great grandpa and dad. He gets it. He's seasoned and wise ... with a great sense of humor!

Nick is clever man he keep him and Nina back not to smother George with love. Amals mother to do same?

That was my point.  Baria is there, why not Nick and Nina?

Because they've chosen not to be?

Have to say speaking personally the one other person I wanted with me at that time was my mother.

Nick definitely seems to have acknowledged that mothers are 'the big deal' in the baby making department by saying Mothers Day is much more important than Fathers Day given what a mother does - think he said Dads were no big deal -they were not the ones with the stretchmarks!

James Cordon similarly told an audience that he made the mistake of saying to his wife while she was pregnant that he'd had a bad day and lay down on the sofa while she cooked dinner and I think her comment was 'oh dear, all I've done is harbour a baby, grow eyelashes and and noses and hearts etc etc today'

To follow up on PAN's thought Baria lives close by so it makes it easy for her to visit George and Amal whenever.  Nick's comments show he and Nina are ecstatic about the births and they are fine with waiting a bit to visit. There could be a number of reasons why Nick and Nina aren't there right now.  I can't imagine any reason why they wouldn't be there if they really wanted to be there at this moment.  We know Cindy and Rande are visiting.  And there may be other family members visiting at the house too.  Maybe they want to go when things quiet down, less people visiting or maybe travel long distance is more of an issue for Nick.  Maybe they plan on an extended stay when they do come so wanted to come when the timing is good for everyone.

Maybe Nick and Nina are already there, visiting the family.
We simply don't know...

To be honest my father never entered my mind when I had my kids it was my mom I wanted. I understand that Nick and Nina wanted George and Amal to have time to enjoy their children without any interruption. This is all new for them and these memories will last a lifetime. There is plenty of time for Nick and Nina to visit they have seen the babies live and in color so it's not like they have been left out.
Nick and Nina usually go to Italy in July so if they aren't already there I think they will be there then. The babies won't be grown and off to college in a month.

I KNOW that the mother of the babies wants her mom there, and now her sister is there too, but WHAT ABOUT GEORGE????  HIS parents have waited a very long time for this - and I think they figured it was never going to happen.  I also do understand that they are older and it is probably more difficult for them to travel.  When my son had his children, his wife's family was first and foremost, and I know how much that hurt me...

Nick said that they deserve quiet time and private time he and Nina understand what this time means for George and Amal . I'm sure that George and Amal are making sure that Nick and Nina are included and kept up to date on the babies.

The ET interview with Nick

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Two things are starting to bother me.
  1) Why is Nick the chosen spokesperson? I know that he's the proud grandpa, but almost all the comments seem to be coming from him. Where's Nina? Where are the boys?
  2) If G&A need time/space to adjust how come it's ok for her mother, sister, Rande and Cindy and who knows who else to come visit - but not his folks? Is Nina ill? I hope not, but it's strange to me that she's been so quiet in all this.

Mel, I know exactly what you mean.

Lizzy,
I have no answers to your questions, just suggestions:

When I saw interviews with Nick and Nina, Nick always seemed the one who talked and answered, Nina often just added a comment. So I hope she's well and it's just their usual thing.

About the boys, maybe they simply didn't want to be interviewed.

Amal's family can stay with Baria or in Amal's flat in Notting Hill when they come to visit, Baria lives nearby. Rande and Cindy just seemed to have paid a brief visit since Cindy has gone to Italy and Rande returned to California. Nick and Nina would stay with George and Amal and since they are not that young, I'd expect them to stay at least a week because travelling and time difference would be exhausting for them otherwise. And since George has always been a great host, he'd want to be sure to be able to look after his parents.

But that's just my 2 cents, of course...

I just don think this is an issue. We've all given our thoughts but IMO there's nothing unusual going on with the family.

Carol, you're right that Nick is almost always the spokesperson when he and Nina are interviewed. Nina doesn't usually say too much publicly. Immediately after the births it's seems logical that it would be the grandparents on both sides who would speak for George and Amal.

Nick said in the Fox interview that Nina was yelling at him about the "George's nose" thing, so I don't think she was ill. Besides, Nina spilled the a boy&girl secret during the pregnancy interview which George denied and covered later in public, that's why Nina might think it's better to shut up this time. Nick will give the media what they want.

Definitely, Nina doesn't say much it is Nick who does the talking. George's boys have rarely spoken to the press so this is no different. Cindy is in Italy for work so it really was a quick visit obviously they knew before hand they would be in London so were able to visit. 
Nina and Nick will go when they are ready I see Nick's point to give them space , these are not Nick and Nina's first grand children they have done this twice before. I think since they usually go in July we will see them there then. No rush the babies will still be babies and I'm sure they have tons of video and pictures.

I'm not saying this is an "issue", just that it struck me odd that Nick has become the family spokesman. In my experience when a new grandchild arrives - let alone two at once from a son who looked like he'd never have kids - Grandma is out there with Grandpa shouting from the rooftops.

The whats and whys and hows of what they do are totally their business. That I find it a little odd means nothing to them.

I don't think Nina ever really spoke that much to the press about George - usually it's been Nick.  

I also don't think it's that odd that they aren't there at the moment: they usually go to Italy for a couple of weeks in the summer and I think at their age they may not have wanted to fly all the way to Europe twice in a matter of two months when they'll see the twins during their summer visit anyway.

I suspect that they're resigned to the fact they won't see so much of their son or grandkids for the timebeing now that he's apparently agreed to be based in the UK for the first few years of the twins' lives.

Hopefully G&A will make sure that Nick and Nina see the twins as often as possible. It would be a shame if the twins lost out on a close relationship with their grandparents because of geography. IMO it will be up to G&A to ensure - when the twins are old enough to travel - that they get to know his side of the family as well as hers - especially Nick and Nina while they're still around.