George Clooney opened up about the emotional moment that he said goodbye to his late sister, Adelia “Ada” Zeidler, when she passed away in December 2025.
The acclaimed actor, who received the Golden Lion for Lifetime Achievement at the Venice Film Festival, spoke at a press conference about how deeply her unexpected death impacted him.
Saying goodbye to Ada
“My sister, who I was very close to, got cancer last year, and she died very quickly,” he said. “I was with her when she died, and there was this feeling being with her, holding her hand when she died, understanding how brief all of this is. It was minutes ago that she and I were little kids together. Minutes ago, we were holding hands as little kids.”
The pair grew up just one year apart in Augusta, Kentucky, as the children of journalist Nick Clooney and entrepreneur Nina Bruce Warren.
© Robino Salvatore“Time goes fast, all of this, and so we have to find nothing but joy,” he continued. “Find joy in the things that make them miserable. You have to find joy. You have to seek joy out, and you have to demand it, and you have to make sure that you demand it of yourself. That’s it.”
“Because look, I don’t know what happens after we die,” George added. “Nobody I know has yet to come back and tell me exactly how it works out…You have to seek joy. And you have to try to find it for your family and your friends.”
George broke his silence on Ada’s death in a statement to People in December, sharing: “My sister, Ada, was my hero. She faced down cancer with courage and humor. I’ve never met anyone so brave. Amal and I will miss her terribly.”
An incredible woman
Ada remained in Augusta, where she grew up, and became an elementary art teacher. “In high school, her academic achievements qualified her to be a National Merit Scholar,” her obituary stated.
© Getty Images“Her love for reading connected her with other readers in a local book club. She was also a member of the Augusta Art Guild and was a past grand marshal of Augusta’s Annual White Christmas Parade.” Her husband, Norman Zeidler, passed away following a heart attack back in 2004, leaving behind their kids Nick and Allison.
Ada largely remained out of the spotlight throughout her life, but attended George’s lavish Italian wedding to Amal Clooney in 2014, looking stunning in a sparkling silver gown.
© KMazurShe made a rare comment about her bond with George in an interview with the New York Daily News in 2012, and revealed that she didn’t have his phone number. “I wouldn’t want to have it in my phone and then lose my phone. He can phone me, and he does occasionally, but email is more convenient for both of us,” she said.
“Sisters always want to see more of their brothers when they live a couple of thousand miles away,” she added. “I always enjoy seeing him, but he’s busy. It’s his job. I’m very proud of him. He works very, very hard.”
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