George Clooney has spoken publicly about becoming a father to twins in the summer – saying that he is not too daunted about the prospect of being an older dad.

The babies – the first for Hollywood star George, 55, and his human rights barrister wife Amal, 39 – are due this June.

“We are really happy and really excited. It’s going to be an adventure. We’ve sort of embraced it all… with arms wide open,” he told the French programme Rencontres de Cinema.

Amal Clooney (Jonathan Brady/PA)Amal Clooney (Jonathan Brady/PA)

The star said that thinking about French actor Jean-Paul Belmondo, who had a child with his second wife when he was 70, put a different spin on being an older father.

“So, I’m feeling a little better about being 56 by the time (the babies are born),” he said.

The Ocean’s Eleven star said that his friends have grown-up children who are “away in college”.

George and Amal Clooney (PA)George and Amal Clooney (PA)

They told him: “‘It’s great, you’re going to love it.’ Then it got really quiet, and they all just started making baby crying noises. And the whole table just busted up laughing,” he told the show.

The couple married in Venice in September 2014.

US television show The Talk first reported the news of the pregnancy when host Julie Chen told viewers that “the twins are due this June”.

Beyonce and her husband Jay-Z, who have a daughter, Blue Ivy, have also announced that they are expecting twins.