George Clooney has rejected an apology from Daily Mail over a story that claimed his fiancee's mother objected to their marriage.
George Clooney has rejected an apology from Daily Mail over a story that claimed his fiancee's mother objected to their marriage.Reuters

American actor and director George Clooney has rejected an apology from the famous UK Tabloid, Daily Mail, over a story that claimed Clooney's fiancee's mother objected to their marriage.

Calling the daily newspaper as the "worst kind of tabloid," he said it was one that "makes up its facts to the detriment of its readers."

"There is one constant when a person or company is caught doing something wrong. The cover-up is always worse," Clooney said in a statement published by USA Today.

"They knew ahead of time that they were lying... The Mail knew the story in question was false and printed it anyway," he said adding: "I thank the Mail for its apology. Not that I would ever accept it, but because in doing so they've exposed themselves as the worst kind of tabloid."

The statement came two days after the Mail Online posted an apology following its publication of a report claiming the mother of Clooney's partner Amal Alamuddin, objected to their marriage on religious grounds.

The story, published earlier this week, led Clooney to accuse Mail of being "irresponsible."

"We accept Mr Clooney's assurance that the story is inaccurate," Mail said in a statement posted in its website. "We have removed the article from our website and will be contacting Mr Clooney's representatives to discuss giving him the opportunity to set the record straight."

The story in concern has said that Alamuddin's mother, Baria, wished her daughter to be married within the relatively small Druze sect.

The Druze is a sect of religion practiced by an estimated 700,000 members in places such as Lebanon, Syria, Israel and Jordan. They believe in Islam, but also incorporate elements of other religions.

The report, published online on Monday and incorporated in the print version on Tuesday said some "close family friends" had told them that Baria has been "telling half of Beirut" that her daughter "could do better."

The Daily Mail, in its original story had never cited the source while an altered version of the story – that appeared in print said the source was a "family friend."