Marie Claire UK Marie Claire UK
  • Fashion Fashion
      • Fashion
        • View all Fashion
        • Fashion Trends
        • Shopping
        • Watches and Jewellery
        • Fashion News
  • Beauty Beauty
      • Beauty
        • View all Beauty
        • Fragrance
        • Hair
        • Make Up
        • Skincare
        • Nails
        • Marie Claire Beauty Awards
  • Health Health
      • Health
        • View all Health
        • Fitness
        • Nutrition
        • Female Health
        • Wellbeing
  • Life Life
      • Life
        • View all Life
        • Opinions
        • Travel
        • Sustainability
        • Weddings
        • Money & Work
        • Competitions
  • Culture Culture
      • Culture
        • View all Culture
        • TV and Film
        • Celebrity News
        • Books
        • Royal News
  • Vouchers Vouchers
      • Clothing
        • View all Vouchers
        • Mint Velvet
        • Karen Millen
        • H&M
        • nobody's child
        • ASOS
        • ARKET
        • MANGO
      • Designer Clothing
        • View all Vouchers
        • Reiss
        • THE OUTNET
        • SSENSE
        • Mytheresa
        • Liberty London
        • Selfridges
        • Farfetch
      • Accessories
        • View all Vouchers
        • AllSaints
        • Aspinal of London
        • Charles & Keith
        • River Island
        • FitFlop
        • Kate Spade
        • Vagabond
      • Jewellery
        • View all Vouchers
        • Pandora
        • Abbott Lyon
        • Goldsmiths
        • Beaverbrooks
        • Astrid & Miyu
        • Swarovski
        • Angara Jewellery
      • Beauty
        • View all Vouchers
        • Sephora
        • Cult Beauty
        • Space NK
        • Dyson
        • Clarins
        • Look Fantastic
        • Clinique
      • Activewear
        • View all Vouchers
        • Lululemon
        • Gymshark
        • Sweaty Betty
        • Nike
        • adidas
        • New Balance
        • Helly Hansen
  • NEWSLETTER Signup to our newsletter
  • logoCreated with Sketch.
    Marie Claire Newsletter

    Celebrity news, beauty, fashion advice, and fascinating features, delivered straight to your inbox!


    By submitting your information you agree to the Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policy and are aged 16 or over.

    You are now subscribed

    Your newsletter sign-up was successful


    An account already exists for this email address, please log in.
    Trending
    • Women in Sport 2026
    • Marie Claire Masters
    • Spring Summer 2026
    • Nail Trends 2026
    • Best Investment Bags
    • Best Perfumes
    • Digital Issues
    • Women Who Win
    1. Celebrity News

    Elisabetta Canalis talks 'father-daughter relationship' with George Clooney

    The Italian beauty says their split was caused by ‘personal needs’

    By Eleanor Young
    Published 31 October 2011 In News

    When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. Here’s how it works.

    George Clooney & Elisabetta Canalis - George Clooney & Elisabetta Canalis split - George Clooney - Elisabetta Canalis - Marie Claire - Marie Claire UK
    George Clooney & Elisabetta Canalis - George Clooney & Elisabetta Canalis split - George Clooney - Elisabetta Canalis - Marie Claire - Marie Claire UK
    (Image credit: Rex Features)
    • Facebook
    • X
    • Pinterest
    Share this article
    Join the conversation
    Follow us
    Add us as a preferred source on Google
    Subscribe to our newsletter

    The Italian beauty says their split was caused by ‘personal needs’

    He's famous for dating string of Hollywood beauties, yet being reportedly reluctant to marry, and now George Clooney's latest ex-squeeze Elisabetta Canalis has opened up on the reasons behind their split.

    Speaking in new book Questo Amore (This Love) by Italian journalist Bruno Vespa the brunette beauty said their ‘personal needs’ were behind the break-up, revealing she had more of a 'father-daughter relationship' with the Oscar-winner.

    GEORGE CLOONEY: LIFE IN LOVES

    The model praised the 50-year-old actor as ‘the person who valued my feminine side the most,’ and ‘also one of the best people I have met from a charitable point of view.’

    You may like
    • Emotionally Unavailable Men: Jacob Elordi and Margot Robbie in Wuthering Heights Why Are We Still Glamourising Emotionally Unavailable Men?
    • Kelly Piquet formula 1 monaco grand prix Forget Instagram, It's the Impeccably Dressed Women of Formula 1 That I'm Looking to for Style Inspiration
    • Kaia Gerber Everything Kaia Gerber Wears Is a Masterclass in Minimalism—These Are the Pieces and Brands She Always Goes Back to

    Hinting at the reasons behind her split with Clooney, Elisabetta told how the actor ‘has been a special for me, and very important, just as a father would be,’ adding: ‘between us there was more of a father-daughter relationship. I was unable to clarify this up 'til now.’

    Slamming rumours their June separation was down to George’s reluctance to marry, the Italian model explained the end of their relationship was instead down to their ‘personal needs.’

    Marie Claire Newsletter

    Celebrity news, beauty, fashion advice, and fascinating features, delivered straight to your inbox!

    By submitting your information you agree to the Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policy and are aged 16 or over.

    ‘George and I never spoke of marriage nor of having kids,’ she revealed.

    ‘I don't put limits to the possibility of having them, but neither George nor I had ever envisaged having kids together. The end of the relationship was not caused by a marriage issue, but instead by our personal needs.’

    She added: 'George is a real gentleman even in his private life. I was very much respected both as a woman and partner.'

    What to read next
    • Broken disco ball smashed to pieces on the floor. Black and white for a dramatic touch. Shiny backdrop is defocused. Why Do Men Ruin Your Birthday?
    • Anne Hathaway has just announced her third pregnancy at 43 Anne Hathaway's Pregnancy Hides a Much Bigger Truth About Having Babies in Your 40s
    • Luke Hersheson My Life In Hair I Spoke to the Super Stylist Behind Victoria Beckham's Iconic Bob—Here Are His Thoughts on Great Hair

    Since the split, George has been dating blonde ex-wrestler Stacy Keibler, while Elisabetta is reportedly seeing True Blood star Mehcad Brooks.

    What are your thoughts on George and Elisabetta’s split? Let us know in the comments box below...

    GEORGE CLOONEY: LIFE IN LOVES

    MORE CELEBRITY NEWS

    Eleanor Young
    Social Links Navigation
    Read more
    Emotionally Unavailable Men: Jacob Elordi and Margot Robbie in Wuthering Heights
    Relationships Why Are We Still Glamourising Emotionally Unavailable Men?
    Kelly Piquet formula 1 monaco grand prix
    Fashion Forget Instagram, It's the Impeccably Dressed Women of Formula 1 That I'm Looking to for Style Inspiration
     
     
    Kaia Gerber
    Shopping Everything Kaia Gerber Wears Is a Masterclass in Minimalism—These Are the Pieces and Brands She Always Goes Back to
    Broken disco ball smashed to pieces on the floor. Black and white for a dramatic touch. Shiny backdrop is defocused.
    Relationships Why Do Men Ruin Your Birthday?
     
     
    Latest in Celebrity News
    Olivia Rodrigo performing on stage in a babydoll dress that sparked online debate, later prompting the singer to speak out about the sexualisation of girlhood and double standards facing young women.
    Celebrity News “We Really Normalise Pedophilia in Our Culture”: What Olivia Rodrigo's Babydoll Dress Backlash Reveals About Girlhood
    Meghan Markle in 'With Love, Meghan'
    Celebrity News Meghan Markle’s Sweet Glimpse Into Sussex Family Life Is Going Viral
     
     
    Anne Hathaway attends the premiere of The Devil Wears Prada 2
    Celebrity News Anne Hathaway Has Spoken Out About Her 10-Year Health Battle
    The Prince and Princess of Wales visit the Isles of Mull and Iona
    Royal News Royal Experts Predict a Major Milestone From Princess Kate This Autumn
     
     
    Latest in News
    New Beauty Products: The Beauty Digest
    Beauty The Beauty Digest: Dyson Does Teeth, Fenty Rips Up the Rulebook (Again) and a Surprisingly Fragrant Week for Dogs
    Jodie Comer
    Shopping Jodie Comer Just Announced the Start of Knee-High Boots Season
     
     
    Kaia Gerber
    Shopping Kaia Gerber Just Wore the ’90s Dress Style That’s as Flattering as It Is Low-Effort
    Oxfam
    Fashion “The Water Used to Produce Britain’s Unworn Clothes Is Enough to Supply 1 Million People for a Lifetime”: Oxfam’s Latest State of Style Report Finds
     
     
    logoCreated with Sketch.
    • Site Archive
    • Contact Future's experts
    • Contact us
    • Terms and conditions
    • Advertise with us
    • Privacy policy
    • Cookies policy
    • About us
    Add as a preferred source on Google Add as a preferred source on Google

    Marie Claire UK is part of Future plc, an international media group and leading digital publisher. Visit our corporate site.

    © Future Publishing Limited Quay House, The Ambury, Bath BA1 1UA. All rights reserved. England and Wales company registration number 2008885.