Clooney slams 'fabricated' "Daily Mail" story on fiancee's mother

File photo of US actor George Clooney at the screening of the film The Monuments Men presented in the Berlinale Competition of the 64th Berlinale Film Festival in Berlin, on 8 Feb 2014. (AFP/DAVID GANNON)

LOS ANGELES: Hollywood actor George Clooney on Wednesday blasted what he called a "completely fabricated" report in Britain's “Daily Mail” that his fiancee's mother opposes their upcoming marriage.

The Oscar-winning movie star, in an opinion piece written for the “USA Today” newspaper, upbraided the tabloid for its "irresponsibility" in reporting that his soon-to-be mother-in-law opposes the marriage because of her supposed Druze faith.

The actor said the daily got many key facts wrong in its reporting about the mother of his Lebanon-born bride-to be, Amal Alamuddin.

"The ‘Daily Mail’ has printed a completely fabricated story about my fiancee's mother opposing our marriage for religious reasons. It says Amal's mother has been telling 'half of Beirut' that she's against the wedding," Clooney wrote.

"Amal's mother is not Druze. She has not been to Beirut since Amal and I have been dating, and she is in no way against the marriage," the actor said.

"The irresponsibility, in this day and age, to exploit religious differences where none exist, is at the very least negligent and more appropriately dangerous," Clooney continued about the July 7 online article.

"We have family members all over the world, and the idea that someone would inflame any part of that world for the sole reason of selling papers should be criminal."

The “Daily Mail” apologised to George Clooney on Wednesday after the Hollywood star hit out at an inaccurate story about his forthcoming marriage that he branded irresponsible.

The tabloid's online arm - one of the most-read news websites in the world - removed the article and said it wanted to give him the chance to "set the record straight".

It said in a statement that its story was "not a fabrication but supplied in good faith" by a reputable journalist.

"She based her story on conversations with a long-standing contact who has strong connections with senior members of the Lebanese community in the UK and the Druze in Beirut," it said.

"However, we accept Mr Clooney's assurance that the story is inaccurate and we apologise to him, Miss Amal Alamuddin and her mother, Baria, for any distress caused.

"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 paper said it had launched a full investigation.

Amal Alamuddin, 36, fled Lebanon for Britain with her family during Lebanon's 1975-1990 civil war, when she was a very young child.

She now holds British citizenship and is an attorney specializing in international law and human rights.

The news that Alamuddin had conquered the heart of Clooney, one of Hollywood's most celebrated bachelors, caused an international media frenzy when their engagement was announced last April.