George Clooney gets a lifetime achievement award at the Golden Globes

Los Angeles - George Clooney praised his wife in his Golden Globes acceptance speech.

The 53-year-old Hollywood star was honoured with the Cecil B. DeMille Award - bestowed for an outstanding contribution to entertainment - at the glitzy ceremony in Los Angeles and spoke of his love for his wife, Amal Clooney, who he married last year, as he collected the award.


(George Clooney and Amal Clooney arrive at the 72nd annual Golden Globe Awards. AP)

He said: "I've had a pretty good year myself...

"Listen: It's a humbling thing when you find someone to love even better when you've been waiting your whole life. And when your whole life is 53 years, Amal, whatever alchemy it is that brought us together, I couldn't be more proud to be your husband."

Earlier in the evening, hosts Amy Poehler and Tina Fey had poked fun at the star for the award, suggesting it pales into insignificance compared to Amal's work as a human rights lawyer.

Tina said: "George Clooney married Amal Alamuddin this year.

"Amal is a human rights lawyer who worked on the Enron case, was an advisor to Kofi Annan regarding Syria, and was selected for a three-person UN commission investigating rules of war violations in the Gaza strip... So, of course, her husband is getting a lifetime achievement award."

However, after praising his wife, the Gravity actor turned to the topic of the recent terrorist attacks in Paris - having already sported 'Je Suis Charlie' signage on the red carpet - saying he hopes to one day see peace.

Ending his acceptance speech, he said: "Today was an extraordinary day. Millions of people marched not just in Paris but all over the world. They were Christians and Jews and Muslims, they were leaders of countries all over the world. And they didn't march in protest, they marched in support of the idea we will not walk in fear. So, Je Suis Charlie. Thank you."

George Clooney's acceptance speech for the Cecil B. DeMille award at tonight's #GoldenGlobes. https://t.co/Dxr5NkTBnv

— Golden Globe Awards (@goldenglobes) January 12, 2015