George and Amal Clooney at the AFI's Life Achievement Awards (courtesy AFP)
Highlights
- "I met George when I was 35," said Amal
- George Clooney "is incredibly generous with his time," said Amal
- "He is a gentleman in every sense of the word," she added
American Film Institute's Life Achievement Award gala turned out to be a rather emotional night for celebrity couple George and Amal Clooney. Held at the Dolby Theatre in Hollywood, AFI honoured George Clooney with the Lifetime Achievement Award for his contribution to films and also witnessed Mrs Clooney publicly talk about and address her husband for the first time.
Amal Clooney began her address by listing down a few things that not many know about the 57-year-old actor, mentioning how George Clooney "picks good fights", "is incredibly generous with his time," and is "a gentleman in every sense of the word." Amal also touched upon how "amazing"
George Clooney is as a father and a husband.
George and Amal Clooney at the AFI's Life Achievement Awards (courtesy AFP)
Mid-way through the speech, the cameras pan to focus on George Clooney, who is visibly teary-eyed and fights tears as he smiles at his wife. Amal's speech is rounded off with a standing ovation from the audience, including Mr Clooney himself. Here's a portion of Amal Clooney's speech from the night that gone viral on the Internet.
"Although George's modestly is to leave much of the success we are celebrating here tonight to luck, I think it's incredible talent and character that got him here. And these attributes also make him an amazing husband and father. I met George when I was 35 and starting to become quite resigned to the idea that I was going to be a spinster. Then we met, started hiding out in my London flat and very soon it felt like no matter what happened I would never want to be with anyone else. I couldn't sleep when we were apart and I'm told that I would display a particular grin and head-tilt when reading his text messages or the letters he would hide in my bag," said Amal.
This is how she continued: "Five years later, none of that has changed. He is the person who has my complete admiration and also the person whose smile makes me melt every time. My love, what I have found with you is the great love I always hoped existed. And seeing you with our children - Ella and Alexander - is the greatest joy in my life. You fill our home with laughter and happiness and that's even before the children have worked out that 'Da-da' is actually Batman, a talking fox, and friends with Mary Poppins. I'm so proud of you, my love."
"Congratulations on this great honour that you're receiving tonight. I'm proud of you, but I also know that when our children find out not only what you have done, but who you are, they will be so proud of you too," said Amal as she signed off from stage.
Meanwhile, it's not just George Clooney who got all emo hearing Amal Clooney's speech, it's also Twitter and us. We're not crying, you are crying.
* sniffs * George and Amal made an entry to the gala hand-in-hand - he suited up and she in a powder pink Prada gown paired with a Jimmy Choo clutch with shoes from the shelves of Aquazzura.
George and Amal Clooney at the AFI's Life Achievement Awards (courtesy AFP)
George Clooney and Amal married on September 27, 2014 in Italy. Their wedding was a close-knit yet star-studded event, held in a luxury Italian resort. They welcomed the twins in June last year.