George Clooney has reaffirmed his commitment to seeing the Elgin Marbles returned to Greece from their current home in the British Museum.
The American Oscar winner, alongside his lawyer wife Amal, continues to campaign for ownership of the historical artefacts to be transferred to Greece. Clooney’s statement comes amid ongoing talks between British Museum chairman George Osborne and the Greek government.
Clooney has publicly supported the Greek position since 2014, describing it at the time as "the right thing to do," while Amal Clooney called it a "powerful cry for justice".
Speaking last week to the Greek newspaper Ta Nea, Clooney said: “They’re going to come back. I know they are. My wife and I both have worked to get the Parthenon Marbles back to Greece. We’ll keep pushing until it happens. There’s no question about it.”
The Elgin Marbles, also known as the Parthenon Marbles, are a collection of 5th-century Ancient Greek sculptures shipped to Britain from Ottoman-controlled Athens in the early 1800s. The Greek government has sought their return since the mid-1800s, with UNESCO concluding in 2022 that Britain has an obligation to return the artefacts.
However, many British politicians have expressed concerns over setting a "slippery slope" precedent that could affect other artefacts currently in UK possession.
Clooney made his latest remarks last week in New York, where he is currently starring in a Broadway adaptation of Good Night, and Good Luck, the historical drama he directed and co-wrote in 2005.
His initial public call for the Marbles' return came in 2014 during a promotional tour for the film The Monuments Men. That same year, Amal Clooney travelled to Athens at the invitation of the Greek government to advise on the legalities surrounding the issue. Her recommendations, detailed in a comprehensive 600-page report, were ultimately not adopted by Greek officials.
Amal Clooney later published the book Who Owns History?, incorporating the report and setting out the moral and legal arguments for returning the sculptures.
Historically, British political reaction to returning the artefacts has been sceptical. In 2014, Boris Johnson, then Mayor of London, said “someone urgently needs to restore George Clooney’s marbles”, describing Clooney's proposal as "advocating nothing less than the Hitlerian agenda for London’s cultural treasures". Clooney responded, describing Johnson’s remarks as "too much hyperbole washed down with a few whiskies".
Currently, there appears to be little likelihood that the latest negotiations will lead to a resolution. The British Museum is legally barred from permanently disposing of objects in its collection, meaning the best possible offer to Greece would be a loan—something Greece will not accept, as this would recognise British ownership of the Marbles.
In 2022, UK Culture Secretary Michelle Donelan said: "I can sympathise with some of the arguments, but I do think that is a very dangerous and slippy road to embark down."
In 2023, Prime Minister Rishi Sunak cancelled a meeting with the Greek Prime Minister over his public comments about the marbles.
Despite these challenges, Clooney’s campaign has attracted the support of other prominent celebrities, including comedian Stephen Fry and actor Liam Neeson.
