George Clooney has spoken publicly for the first time about the death of Presley Gerber, the 27-year-old son of his close friends Cindy Crawford and Rande Gerber. Speaking to Entertainment Tonight at the Albies in London on October 9, the actor described the loss as “one of the most devastating things that’s happened to our family,” according to E! News. Presley died on September 20 at a sober living facility in Santa Monica, California, TMZ reported.
What Clooney said
The Albies is the annual awards ceremony hosted by the Clooney Foundation for Justice, and this year’s edition took place at the Natural History Museum in London. It was there, with Amal Clooney standing beside him, that George addressed the loss for the first time.
“Quite honestly, it’s one of the most devastating things that’s happened to our family, and their family is just as you can imagine,” Clooney told Entertainment Tonight, in comments reported by E! News.
He went on to say, “It’s the worst thing that could ever happen with family,” per E! News.
Clooney made clear that the grief is still too raw to discuss at length. “I don’t think we’re even in the position of even being able to talk about it,” he said, according to Us Weekly.
The connection between the two families runs deep. Clooney and Rande Gerber co-founded Casamigos Tequila in 2013 together with Mike Meldman, and the Clooneys have been longtime close friends of the Crawford-Gerber family, as Entertainment Tonight noted.
What happened to Presley Gerber
Presley, the older brother of model and actress Kaia Gerber, died on September 20, 2026, at a rehab and sober living facility in Santa Monica, according to TMZ. He was 27.
The Santa Monica Police Department is investigating the death and does not suspect foul play, Deadline reported. In a statement carried by ABC News, the department said: “SMPD detectives are investigating the death as a suspected overdose. At this time, there is no indication of foul play.”
The Los Angeles County Medical Examiner performed an autopsy and, as of September 21, deferred the cause and manner of death pending additional testing, ABC News reported. The official cause has not been released.
TMZ, citing unnamed sources, reported that Presley reportedly had a persistent problem with ketamine. That claim has not been confirmed by the family or by investigators. Presley had been publicly open about his struggles with addiction and mental health over the years.
His family confirmed his death in a statement through a representative for Cindy Crawford, Rande Gerber and Kaia Gerber, shared by TMZ: “The family is asking for privacy during this very difficult and painful time.”
A night of friends and tributes
The Albies, established in 2022 and named after anti-apartheid hero Justice Albie Sachs, brought a large group of the Clooneys’ friends to London for its fifth annual ceremony. Brad Pitt attended with Ines de Ramon, according to Yahoo Entertainment and Hello Magazine. Pitt and de Ramon have been together since around late 2022.
Graham Norton emceed the evening, with musical performances by Jackson Browne and Vic Mensa, Just Jared reported. Hello Magazine noted that the guest list also included Emma Thompson, Isla Fisher, Charlotte Tilbury, Hannah Waddingham, Laura Dern, Dominic West and Bianca Jagger.
Even amid the formal setting and a room full of famous faces, Clooney’s brief remarks about the Gerber family stood out as the most personal moment of the night. He did not elaborate beyond those few sentences, and he was not asked to.
What comes next
For now, there are no further details from investigators. The medical examiner’s findings remain pending, and the Santa Monica Police Department has said only that it is treating the case as a suspected overdose with no sign of foul play.
The Crawford-Gerber family has not made any additional public statements beyond their request for privacy. Clooney’s words in London suggest that those closest to them are honoring that request, offering support quietly rather than speaking at length.
As Clooney put it, the families are not yet in a position to talk about it. The people around them appear to understand that, and are giving them the space to grieve.
Sources
