George Clooney is responding to a report published by The Daily Mail suggesting the actor's future mother-in-law opposed his upcoming wedding to fiancée Amal Alamuddin due to her religious beliefs.
In an op-ed published on USA Today on Wednesday, the "Gravity" actor blasted the U.K. publication for being irresponsible, saying the stories about his soon-to-be bride's mother were "fabricated."
"I seldom respond to tabloids, unless it involves someone else and their safety or well being," Clooney wrote. "It says Amal's mother has been telling 'half of Beirut' that she's against the wedding. It says they joke about traditions in the Druze religion that end up with the death of the bride. Let me repeat that: the death of the bride. First of all, none of the story is factually true."
In the penned letter, Clooney clarified that Alamuddin's mother, Baria Alamuddin, was not a Druze and added that she is "no way against the marriage." However, The Daily Mail reported Baria wanted her daughter to marry into a small Druze family and has reportedly been saying her daughter "could do better".
According to The Daily Mail, Alamuddin could face harsh penalties for marrying someone outside her strict Lebanese religion. The publication added that "several women have been murdered for disobeying the rules."
The two-time Oscar winner acknowledged he is a tabloid magnet, but said the letter is more than about the fake stories being printed about him daily. The "Monuments Men" actor said he responded to the report because it touched on the topic of religious intolerance.
"This lie involves larger issues," he wrote. "The irresponsibility, in this day and age, to exploit religious differences where none exist, is at the very least negligent and more appropriately dangerous. We have family members all over the world, and the idea that someone would inflame any part of that world for the sole reason of selling papers should be criminal."
Clonney added: "The Daily Mail, more than any other organization that calls itself news, has proved time and time again that facts make no difference in the articles they make up. And when they put my family and my friends in harm's way, they cross far beyond just a laughable tabloid and into the arena of inciting violence."
The actor is not known for discussing his personal life or romantic relationships, but said when multiple media outlets pick up untruths, he gets irritated. The letter also marks that first time Clooney referred to Alamuddin as his fiancée in print.
Clooney's engagement to the human rights lawyer was first reported in April. It has been followed by several reports claiming the two have set a wedding date for September in Lake Como, Italy.
According to the Associated Press, The Daily Mail issued an apology to the actor Wednesday and said that their story was not fabricated but "supplied in good faith by a reputable and trusted freelance journalist," who based her "story on conversations with a long standing contact who has strong connections with senior members of the Lebanese community in the U.K. and the Druze in Beirut."
The Daily News added: "We only became aware of Mr. Clooney's concerns this morning and have launched a full investigation. However, we accept Mr. Clooney's assurance that the story is inaccurate and we apologize to him, Miss Amal Alamuddin and her mother, Baria, for any distress caused."
