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Last year, actor and humanitarian George Clooney lost his sister to cancer.

When he received a Lifetime Achievement award just days ago, he spoke about losing her.

Clooney shared that he was with her as she was dying.

Reflecting upon that, he advised members of the audience to find one thing during their all-too-short lives.

George Clooney was with his sister until the very end

When George Clooney received the Golden Lion for Lifetime Achievement during the 2026 Venice Film Festival last week, he spoke in remembrance of his late sister.

The actor encouraged the audience to always “seek the joy out” of life while they can, Page Six details.

“My sister, who I was very close to, got cancer last year and she died very quickly,” Clooney acknowledged.

Adelia “Ada” Zeidler passed away in December of 2025.

“I was with her when she died,” Clooney shared, “and there was this feeling being with her, holding her hand when she died, understanding how brief all this is.”

Reflecting upon her passing, Clooney remarked that, sitting with her at that time, it felt like “minutes ago that she and I were both kids together.”

“Minutes ago holding hands as little kids,” he expressed.

“And now, you know … time goes so fast,” Clooney remarked.

“All of this,” he continued, “and so we need to find nothing but joy.”

Clooney emphasized that this also meant needing to “find joy in the things that make [us] miserable.”

Finding joy in life is so important

“You have to seek the joy out,” George Clooney affirmed in Venice.

“You have to demand it,” he stressed, “and you have to make sure that you demand it of yourself. That’s it.”

Clooney went on to acknowledge that he has no idea what may or may not follow death.

He explained that “nobody I know has yet to come back and tell me exactly how it works out.”

That is a very fair and honest take upon the possibility of existence after death.

Last December, Clooney eulogized his sister. She was 65 when she passed away.

“My sister, Ada, was my hero,” he affirmed to People a the time.

“She faced down cancer with courage and humor,” Clooney praised. “I’ve never met anyone so brave.”

He shared: “Amal and I will miss her terribly.”