PARIS — U.S. actor George Clooney was awarded French citizenship following a request from the country’s foreign affairs minister, according to an official document seen by POLITICO.

In a letter dated Oct. 20 sent to France’s interior minister, Laurent Nuñez, who handles citizenship procedures, Foreign Affairs Minister Jean-Noël Barrot proposed that the Hollywood superstar, his wife Amal and their children be granted citizenship through the so-called “citoyen émérite” process.

This allows “a French-speaking foreigner who contributes through his or her outstanding work to the influence of France and the prosperity of its international economic relations” to become a citizen through a request from the Foreign Affairs Ministry.

Barrot underlines the Clooney family is “permanently based” in the south of France, where their children attend school, and that the couple “maintains personal and professional ties with [France].”

The letter points to the Clooneys’ philanthropic work and notes that “through their life paths and commitments, they embody the values of solidarity, freedom, and creativity that France promotes around the world.” It also states that “Mr. Clooney’s professional activity generates enormous financial benefits from which the French film industry profits.”

A spokesperson for France’s foreign affairs minister confirmed that the request to offer the Clooney family citizenship, which was officially granted on Dec. 26 according to France’s official public records, had been made by Barrot.

A spokesperson for George Clooney did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

George Clooney and his wife Amal — a human rights lawyer — run the Clooney Justice Foundation, an organization devoted to “providing free legal aid in defense of free speech & women’s rights in over 40 countries.” In Europe, the foundation’s activities and the actor’s activism have put him at odds with Russian authorities and Hungary’s Viktor Orban, whom Clooney described as an example of the “anger and hate.”

In the U.S., Clooney has held close ties with Democratic Party officials and played an important role in urging former President Joe Biden to step down from the 2024 Presidential campaign. He has also feuded with current President Donald Trump, who called him a “fake movie actor” on his Truth Social network in April.

This provision, used to grant Clooney citizenship, has enabled several public figures to obtain French passports in the past, including Snapchat co-founder Evan Spiegel and Telegram co-founder Pavel Durov.

Marie-Pierre Vedrenne, minister delegate to the interior minister, said she is embarrassed by the development and thinks it “sends the wrong message.” She added she would “look into” the whole procedure.

Victor Goury-Laffont contributed to this report.