George Clooney recounted the profound impact of his sister Ada Zeidler's final moments, a deeply personal experience that occurred months before her death from cancer. Speaking at the 2026 Venice Film Festival while receiving the Golden Lion for Lifetime Achievement, Clooney shared how being with his sister as she passed underscored the swift passage of time and the essential need to "seek the joy out" of life.
"My sister, who I was very close to, got cancer last year and she died very quickly," Clooney stated. "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 this is."
He described the surreal sensation of holding his sister's hand during her final moments, recalling how it felt like they were children together only "minutes ago." This vivid recollection served as a powerful reminder of life's ephemeral nature. "Minutes ago holding hands as little kids. And now, you know … time goes so fast. All of this, and so we need to find nothing but joy," Clooney reflected.
The actor emphasized that finding joy requires active effort, especially for oneself and loved ones. "You have to seek the joy out. You have to demand it, and you have to make sure that you demand it of yourself. That’s it," he urged the audience.
Clooney also touched upon the uncertainty of the afterlife, noting the lack of firsthand accounts. "I know in this life you have to seek joy and you have to try to find it for your family and your friends," he concluded.
Clooney had announced his sister's death in December, stating that she was 65. He remembered her as his "hero," praising her courage and humor in facing cancer. "I’ve never met anyone so brave," he said at the time, adding that his wife Amal and he would miss her dearly.
Ada Zeidler, an former elementary art teacher and National Merit Scholar, grew up with her brother in Augusta, Kentucky. While she lived a life away from the public eye, she was present at George Clooney's 2014 wedding to human rights attorney Amal Clooney in Venice.
The actor, 65, had previously spoken about their close bond, telling "CBS This Morning" in 2015, "My sister, I’m very close to."