Who is the Real Amal Alamuddin?

Amal Alamuddin and George Clooney on their way to their civil wedding ceremony in Venice. Freeze frame of video shot by Gianfranco Stara. September 30, 2014
Amal Alamuddin and George Clooney on their way to their civil wedding ceremony in Venice. Freeze frame of video shot by Gianfranco Stara. September 30, 2014

After five days in Venice chasing after George Clooney and his bride Amal Alamuddin, I am finally back in Rome.  I had a blast covering this story because it was completely different from most of the work I do for AP Television.  Let’s just say that chasing after Clooney in a water taxi in Venice is a little different from covering the Pope, or Berlusconi, or destitute migrants arriving on Italian shores.  It was frivolous and fun. Coming home to Rome on the train from Venice with a colleague, we were trying to figure out who is the real Amal Alamuddin.  The woman we saw in Venice looked like a beautiful Barbie doll hanging on the arm of a famous Hollywood actor.  She had movie star glamour, and was popping in and out of high-fashion outfits every few hours as far as we could tell.  She never spoke, she just smiled behind her large sunglasses and flashed her rings.  Long legs and big diamonds were on display, not the brains and grit she must have.

Amal Alamuddin and George looking up after leaving Palazzo Cavalli in Venice where they had their civil wedding ceremony. Freeze frame of video shot by APTN cameraman Pietro De Cristofaro. September 30, 2014
Amal Alamuddin and George looking up after leaving Palazzo Cavalli in Venice where they had their civil wedding ceremony. Freeze frame of video shot by APTN cameraman Pietro De Cristofaro. September 29, 2014

Where did the top-notch human rights lawyer who defended Julian Assange from extradition to Sweden go?  Where was the woman who worked with former UN Secretary General Kofi Annan investigating the use of drones in counter-terrorism operations?  Where was the woman who wrote this article for the Huffington Post on The Anatomy of an Unfair Trial. ?  This is the same woman who clerked for Sonia Sotomayor when she was a judge at the US Court of Appeals in New York.  Amal Alamuddin went to Oxford and then studied law at NYU. This is the Amal Alamuddin I am rooting for.

Amal Alamuddin while working as lawyer for Julian Assange
Amal Alamuddin while working as lawyer for Julian Assange

We thought George Clooney wanted to marry Amal, instead of his long train of former waitresses and show-girls, because he wanted someone smart who could share his political passions.  Is Clooney shaping her into something else?

Amal Alamuddin and George Clooney head down the Grand Canal the morning after their private wedding in Venice. Freeze frame of video shot by APTN cameraman Gianfranco Stara. September 28, 2014
Amal Alamuddin and George Clooney head down the Grand Canal the morning after their private wedding in Venice. Freeze frame of video shot by APTN cameraman Gianfranco Stara. September 28, 2014

Which leads me to the next question.  Why did George Clooney decide to have such an open, spectacle, show of a wedding?  At moments – as 30 boats raced down the Grand Canal following his water taxi— it felt more like a scene from a film than real life.  He easily could have done a more private wedding at his Villa on Lake Como. While we were there in Venice, enough information came out about the timing and events, that we knew where to go to get the shots of the couple.  So why did Clooney want to have a very public event? There have been rumors about Clooney wanting to get into politics.  I mentioned this is an earlier post, but what does he want to do, run for governor of California, or perhaps Senator?  Maybe he wants to get involved with the UN in some way.  Honestly, I have no clue. I am hoping that that Amal Alamuddin does not give up her work and get sucked into being a pretty arm decoration for George.  As far as I know she has never given any interviews since her engagement and I am dying to hear what she says about herself and her future.  There were reports in the British press that George was looking for an apartment in London so that she could continue to work.  That would be wonderful as far as I am concerned.

George Clooney and Amal Alamuddin head off in the water taxi called "Amore" and pass under the Rialto Bridge as they leave Venice.  Freeze frame of video shot by Gianfranco Stara. September 29, 2014
George Clooney and Amal Alamuddin head off in the water taxi called “Amore” and pass under the Rialto Bridge as they leave Venice. Freeze frame of video shot by Gianfranco Stara. September 29, 2014

 

23 thoughts on “Who is the Real Amal Alamuddin?”

  1. I simply can not imagine with an intellect such a hers (not to mention the courage to defend Assange) she would give it up to be a trophy wife, or depending on how you see it “atrophy wife.” I wish I had seen a headline that read “Famous Human Rights Attorney Amal Alamuddin Marries Actor.”

  2. Trisha – your post was exactly what I was thinking. Whatever be the reason behind her marriage to George Clooney, I do hope she continues to ‘Lean In’ and stays away from the glitz and glamour of Hollywood.

    1. Trisha Thomas

      Hi David, Perhaps I shouldn’t impose my views, but this is my blog so I feel free to say what I think. Certainly George Clooney and Amal Alamuddin are not reading my blog and will feel free to live their lives as they wish.

  3. . . is he shaping her or is she shaping him? Political Power Pair? Are we all just a bunch of old cynics or could it actually be . . you know . . love? Hmmmm!

  4. Really interesting perspective on Ms Alamuddin. Lets hope you are right.

    Glad you had such a nice change of responsibilities.

    More later

    L/D

  5. Great Questions!! Her brains, her experience in dealing with powerful people, and her independent money make me feel she will be able to hold her own in this marriage, and make me think George knows she can leave any time she wants. But she may want a taste of celebrity, and surely she has had enough by now! And she may want to have a child, and surely that will change George, I hope in good ways. He may want that child, too.
    I have not seen any pictures of her wedding dress, or of the non-official ceremony, which would have been the more telling one, the sentimental one.
    And I have seen no pictures of anyone other than movie stars in attendance. What about her family? What about her sister, who was supposed to be her maid of honor? What about all his political and academic contacts (from Monuments Men and the Murrow film)? This did seem truly shallow. And why doesn’t she say something?
    Actually, he hasn’t said much either, has he? That may be for privacy. Guess we’ll have to keep watching.
    I’ve never been a fan of the Ocean’s films, nor of Clooney as one of the wild boys. But Pitt and McConaughey have both grown up and settled down, why not George?
    Thanks for taking us to Venice with you . . .

  6. I’m glad you had a great time with this story. I also liked your ideas about the bride not changing. Your blog was so different from the other two I read, I have to throw those in. I subscribe to both of these. The first had nice comments about the couple and was happy for them but 3/4ths of the column was about a group cleaning up Venice. The writer worked with the group called Unlock Your Love, which spent their time cutting the padlocks off bridges. Lots more pictures of the unlockers than the wedding. This “unlocking” is fine, but I thought including it with the wedding was somwhat ironic.

    The other writer was much more cynical in her choice of info. She wished the couple good luck and many sons (in Italian I can’t remember) but spent most of the column talking about the furniture in the room for the wedding was not right and had to be changed and the scaffolding behind the hotel that had to be taken down and other similar items. And then talked aobut the to-do over this wedding compared to the other out-of-country people wedding in Venice and then also listing some weddings back to the 1600’s.
    Thanks for a more interesting view–now on to the Synod–Oh my!!

    1. Thank you Joan– I am so glad you found what I wrote interesting. I had a day off today and the first thing I have to do when I get in the office tomorrow is throw myself into the Synod story– at this point I have no clue what I am talking about!

  7. Generally I ignore coverage of weddings of the rich and famous. I barely took note this time except I did read AP story in the Sunday Seattle Times which carried your by line and that of another reporter. The reason I paid attention was the fabulous job you did with your blog. Thank you so much for filling in the background.

    Why get married in Venice? It is so hard to have a private wedding, why not do it where everything can be scripted and stage managed? George struck a pose while in the boats that any Hollywood leading man of the past would envy. Further, the deal with Vogue will effectively cut tabloids out of racing to be first with ceremony pictures.

    Finely, I will take the optimistic view Amal Alamuddin will continue her human rights work. She is very smart, and passionate about her work.

    1. Well I am glad to hear I was able to make this celebrity wedding a little more interesting, and I am even more glad to hear you are optimistic about Amal Alamuddin.

  8. I just loved reading your byline on the AP wire this weekend. You and your photographers did a fantastic job! I enjoy your puzzling take on Amal as I share the same befuddlement. By the way, I think that George (or is it her parents who picked up the bill) may have gotten a discount on the festivities and the final invoice from the Aman. Did you know that Amal’s little sister Tala Alamuddin works from Aman Resorts?

    I got the feeling that this weekend was the “World Premiere of Amal Alamuddin” produced and directed by George Clooney. It was as if he was premiering a major motion picture and launching a new starlet for his motion picture franchise. I’m still just a little befuddled how a serious litigator gets caught up in the production that occurred this past weekend.

    1. Trisha Thomas

      Thank you Kay, I have been so grateful for all your help, input and insights on this story. You clearly know so much more about this world than I do. I couldn’t agree with you more that it seemed like the “World Premiere of Amal Alamuddin” directed by George Clooney. It was also widely reported here that Amal’s father picked up the bill and interesting that you say her sister works at Aman Resorts — so they surely got a discount there. I am also wondering if the fashion designers donated her dresses. Anyway, I guess this is all to be continued as we see what the future holds for this power couple.

  9. What serendipity..by chance I watched PORTA A PORTA last evening and your were one of Bruno Vespa’s guests. He seemed so delighted to watch your facial expressions and listen to your enthusiastic comments regarding George + Amal’s “Hollywood” wedding in Venice. Complimenti Trisha***

  10. Hi again,

    Trisha, Thank you for the ink to Ms. Alamuddin’s Huffington Post article “The Anatomy of an Unfair Trial.” It was quite interesting and shed light in a very dirty corner of our world.

  11. Don’t worry she is still the smart woman you think she is, Trisha. Their glamourous and very public wedding in Venice was very Lebanese! And I know it first hand because I am American-Lebanese. When I saw a photo of Amal with her mother, sister and bridal party in the boat going to the rehearsal dinner I yelled out in my head – they are so Lebanese and I absolutely loved it! They love flashy fashion, jewellery, pomp and circumstance to say the least. They practically video tape every moment of their child’s life since the first breath of air outside the womb. First comes family and then comes all the rest. Which is a principal I was raised on and absolutely adore.

    My mother and I could wear our fanciest clothes and every single piece of jewellery we own and we would still be underdressed for Sunday mass. I am not joking. When I finally visited Lebanon in 2011 with my Italian husband everything I was raised with, about and on was confirmed being there on Lebanese soil. I felt like I was going home – nothing was foreign to me. It was exactly the same in my little Lebanese community in N.E. Mpls, MN.

    So when I read this post about Amal I thought it isn’t George being all hollywood and making her arm candy I am 100% sure she wanted everything George wanted and perhaps even pushed him to have these very public nuptials. Lebanese women are very much about ‘la bella figura’ just like how Italian women are. So I am not surprised she acted the way she did on the weekend she became George’s wife.

    Lebanese women are some of the most intelligent and at the same time glamorous women I have ever met. Not surprised one bit this is how it all went down. And I would expect nothing less that she wore that fabulous white wide brimmed hat for her civil ceremony.

    All my Lebanese girlfriends who I have talked with about this coupling think George has ‘married up’. I think well done Mr. Clooney because after years of dating all those silly women you have married a super beautiful, super smart and super glamorous Lebanese woman!

    1. Trisha Thomas

      Annie, this is fantastic! I had no clue…you’ve put a whole new light on everything. Thank you so much for this comment. An Italian friend of mine who lived for years in Lebanon also vaguely told me the same thing, but your comment makes it crystal clear. Thanks so much!

  12. Who knows what they’ve got up their sleeve? But like you, I do hope Amal Alamuddin continues to do brilliant work in the legal profession.
    On another note, I do find spectacular weddings a little distasteful, and was a little surprised by the sophisticated Clooney’s pomp and show.

    1. Trisha Thomas

      It was definitely quite a show, but now they’ve totally disappeared. I heard they were going to Marrakech, but have not seen any photos. They might have gone over top a bit, but it was at least classy to then end the show and close the curtain in Venice. And yes, let’s hope Amal continues her legal work!

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