George Clooney, who celebrated his 64th birthday in May, recently sparked controversy with his statements about stepping back from romantic scenes in films. According to Clooney, he made this decision after a “conversation” with his human rights lawyer partner, Amal Clooney, when he turned 60.

In an attempt to emulate one of his movie idols, Paul Newman, Clooney stated, “I’ve been trying to go the route Paul Newman did: ‘Okay, well, I’m not kissing a girl anymore.'” He further explained, “When I turned 60, I had a conversation with my wife. I said, ‘Look, I can still play basketball with the boys. I play with 25-year-old guys. I can still hang, I am in shape. But in 25 years, I’m 85 years old. It doesn’t matter how many granola bars you eat, that’s a real number.’

The couple, who tied the knot in 2014 and are parents to twins Alexander and Ella, has always kept their family life private. However, a close source to the actor revealed that Amal had a significant influence on Clooney’s decision to avoid romantic scenes in his movies.

The insider disclosed, “It isn’t completely accurate to say George made this decision on his own. Amal had clear views on how he should handle romantic scenes at this stage in his life. It was more of a discussion, followed by an ultimatum from her that she didn’t want to see him do any more romance, kissing, and sex scenes than a decision he made alone.”

Ultimately, it seems that George Clooney’s choice to step back from on-screen intimacy was not solely his own, but rather a result of his wife’s wishes.