Hollywood actor George Clooney is mourning the death of his elder sister, Adelia “Ada” Zeidler, who has died aged 65 after a long battle with cancer.
According to US media reports, Zeidler passed away peacefully on Friday, December 19, at St Elizabeth Healthcare in Edgewood, Kentucky, surrounded by family. Her funeral is scheduled to take place on Monday, December 22.
Clooney paid tribute to his sister in a statement to People, remembering her strength and resilience. He described her as his hero, saying she faced illness with courage and humour, and added that he and his wife Amal would miss her deeply.
Born on May 2, 1960, Zeidler was the daughter of broadcaster Nick Clooney and writer Nina Bruce Warren. She worked as an elementary art teacher at Augusta Independent School and was also recognised as a National Merit Scholar during her school years.
She married retired US Army captain Norman Zeidler in 1987. He died in 2004. The couple had two children, Nicholas and Allison.
Although closely related to one of Hollywood’s most recognisable stars, Zeidler largely remained out of the public eye. She made few public appearances, though she attended Clooney’s wedding to Amal Alamuddin in 2014.
Clooney has previously spoken about his close bond with his sister, describing their relationship as deeply personal. Zeidler, too, was known to be protective of her brother’s privacy, once revealing in an interview that she avoided saving his phone number to prevent it from falling into the wrong hands.
Her death marks a personal loss for the actor, who has often credited his family, particularly his sister, as a grounding presence away from the spotlight.
