George Clooney Is Working to Balance Family and Fame: “He Doesn’t Want to Leave Amal and the Kids” (EXCLUSIVE)

A-lister George Clooney knows how to look good for the cameras. “I just have to clean the barf off my tux,” the new dad jokes. But he’s got much more on his mind than maintaining his movie star glamour these days: like his family and fame. He’s juggling his responsibilities as a husband and father along with his work in Hollywood and beyond.

Since he wed Amal Clooney and they had twins, Ella and Alexander, last June, George has hinted at giving up acting. But he recently signed to star in and direct a six-part TV version of Catch-22. Now he’s facing a common dilemma: how to balance work and family. Becoming a dad “has changed his showbiz aspirations in that he doesn’t want to leave Amal and the kids for any big length of time,” a friend tells Closer. “That said, it’s a real conflict for him.”

Naturally, the pal says, “His family is his main priority.” That includes diaper duty. “[It’s] my job,” George says. “What’s the point of being a parent if you don’t get your hands dirty? That’s what it’s all about.” Amal, 39, also remains an essential part of the actor’s contentment. “Their lives are busy,” confides the friend. “But he never wants to leave her and vice versa.”

It’s not likely George, 56, will turn his back on Hollywood altogether. “He really is an artist at heart,” his friend explains. “He’ll take fewer acting roles, that’s for sure. But he won’t be able to walk away so easily. And Amal knows that, too.”

After selling his Casamigos tequila company for $1 billion, he’ll likely put his time and money where his passions are — in political causes and weighty projects like Catch-22. “Don’t be surprised if the twins join him on sets,” the friend tells Closer. “Once they’re a little older, of course!”

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