George Clooney says Presley Gerber’s death is ‘one of the most devastating things that’s happened to our family’

The actor made the heartfelt comments during a recent red carpet appearance alongside his wife

George Clooney has opened up about the 'devastating' death of Presley Gerber.

The award-winning actor is a longtime friend of the Gerber family as well as a business partner of Rande Gerber, so the news of the 27-year-old's death will have understandably hit close to home for the 65-year-old.

Responding to a question about Presley's death during an appearance at Albies in London on Friday evening, Clooney explained that he hadn't even begun to think of a way to honour his legacy as the incident was too painful.

"I don't even think we're in the position of being able to talk about it quite honestly," Clooney told Entertainment Tonight.

"It’s one of the most devastating things that’s happened to our family.

"And their family is just…as you can imagine."

"It's the worst thing that could ever happen to the family."

Clooney's friendship with Gerber dates back to the 1990s, with the pair later going into business to create the premium tequila brand Casamigos in 2013, meaning that he'll have known Presley and his younger sister Kaia for their entire lives.

Presley passed away last month (20 September), with the youngster reportedly having died while staying at a sober living facility in Los Angeles. His death was confirmed to TMZ by a representative for the Gerber family, who gave the following statement: "The family is asking for privacy during this very difficult and painful time."

It has since been reported that Presley had died from a 'suspected overdose' while staying at the Santa Monica facility.

Audio from the 911 call was later made public by Page Six, in which the words 'cardiac arrest' and 'overdose' were used.

Santa Monica Police Department later confirmed they were investigating the death as a suspected overdose, adding there was no indication of foul play.

An official cause of death has not been released, with the Los Angeles County Medical Examiner’s report suggesting that it could take several months before a cause of death is determined.

Presley had spoken openly about his struggles with mental health over the years, previously telling Studio 22 podcast in 2023 that he wanted to support people in a similar situation to him.

"Having struggled with mental health, depression and some other things that come along with that, I think that whether I help one person or a hundred people get out of that place that I was in at one point in my life, that’s all I need to do," he said.

"[Mental health] is an issue. It is such a big part of my life. It’s a 24/7 job, and there’s so much to it.

"That’s really what I want to do: help people, whether you’re depressed, you’re struggling with something that is having a negative effect on your body. I mean it could be anything, and there’s no judgment."

After previously working as a freelancer for Digital Spy, Brenna joined LADbible in 2024 and has since carved out a niche covering film and TV. She has previously interviewed stars from shows such as Monster, MobLand and the 28 Days Later franchise. Outside of what's on her screen, Brenna is also interested in writing about music and bizarre pop culture.

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