By George, he looks nothing like him

Fans of Hollywood heart throb George Clooney will be seeing double on the red carpet come Oscar night, thanks to a pioneering Co Kilkenny competition to find the star’s doppelganger.

The “George Clooney Irish roots” competition selected 27-year-old amateur actor David Glendon to travel to the star-studded event next month, but those hoping to catch a glimpse of two gorgeous Georges will be disappointed, because separated at birth these two were not.

While the real George is dark and brooding, Mr Glendon is fair and mellow.

The conundrum of Clooney’s Irish “twin”, who beat 782 other entrants, has been pondered far and wide.

The Huffington Post alluded to the fact that the Clooney-comp was, “unsurprisingly, held in an Irish whiskey bar”, while entertainment site Gawker.com, tongue in cheek, warned its readers: “folks, if you see George Clooney around town on Oscar weekend, make sure you check closely. You might just be looking at David Glendon.”

But despite the public’s reaction, the judge’s decision was final and Mr Glendon may even be lucky enough to come face to face with the real Mr Clooney himself on Oscar night. For his part, the competition’s organiser, Kilkenny-based filmmaker and historian Gabriel Murray, defended the decision, saying it was based on photographs where entrants posed and dressed as the Ocean’s Eleven actor.

“We took into consideration in deciding the winner that David is a local actor,” said Mr Murray, who is currently making a documentary about Clooney’s Kilkenny roots.

George Clooney’s Irish Roots — The real Descendants explores the A-lister’s link to the midlands town. And Mr Murray believes he has uncovered parish records to substantiate his Irish roots. He claims the documentary will prove how Clooney has living relatives in counties Laois and Kilkenny.

A baptismal certificate, he says, verifies George’s great-great-grandfather, Nicholas, was born in Tullahought, about 25 miles south of Kilkenny city.