Maria Bertrand - 2002

Mar 3 2002

News of the World [a real trash tabloid newspaper in the UK]

EXCLUSIVE: STAR'S RAGS TO RICHES LOVE

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GEORGE CLOONEY is secretly dating a waitress he chatted up as she served him
drinks in a cocktail bar.

The superstar is so besotted by Maria Bertrand he gave her a part in his
latest movie - alongside superstars Brad Pitt, Matt Damon, Julia Roberts and
Drew Barrymore.

Maria, 27, was working in a bar in Montreal, Canada, where Clooney, 40, is
filming Confessions of a Dangerous Mind.

Confirmed bachelor George fell for leggy brunette Maria after she brought
him a glass of wine.

But the Ocean's Eleven star did not approach her straight away. He finished
his drink, then headed for a nearby strip joint, Chez Paree.

He hadn't forgotten the sultry beauty, though, and returned to the trendy
Bar Globe a few days later to ask her out.

Since then Clooney has been spotted enjoying romantic dinners with the
waitress - instead of pursuing his favourite pastime, going to strip clubs.

"Clooney was struck by Maria's beauty, but he did not hit on her the first
night," said an insider.

"He and a male friend went to the Chez Paree strip club." Bouncers there
confirmed he stayed while at least three dancers performed their raunchy
routines.

The insider added: "A day or two later, George came back to the Globe and
made a beeline for Maria.

"This time, he asked for her phone number and when he called the next day to
make a date, Maria was thrilled. George has not been back to the strip joint
since he met her."

After just two dates, Clooney invited Bertrand on to the set of his movie.

A member of the production crew said: "She was there when Drew Barrymore was
getting her make-up and lighting tests.

"She kept quiet and seemed to be overawed that she was meeting all these
movie stars.

"The producers are happy George is going steady with her. The girl seems to
be keeping him out of trouble."

George is so keen to have her around he has even secured a part for the
leggy lovely in the film, about a TV gameshow host, as a contestant.

Not so happy are the strippers at Chez Paree. They have not seen Clooney
since he fell for the waitress.

Dancer Claudine said: "All the girls are sad. When we heard he was coming to
Montreal, we were sure he would be calling round all the time. We have the
best strip clubs in the world.

"He's got a reputation, you know, and we thought for sure, he'll show... but
no, nothing. No George Clooney."

Meanwhile, Clooney has been spotted dining with Maria at one of Montreal's
best restaurants.

The lovebirds were seen on January 11 at Bis, when the pair talked quietly
and animatedly to each other for more than two hours.

They seemed determined to keep their love under wraps. After spotting a
photographer outside, they left the upmarket eaterie separately.

At another dinner with Clooney, on February 22, Maria found herself dining
with Damon, his girlfriend and three of Clooney's best friends.

Afterwards they went back to his hotel bar, where Maria sat on his lap as
they sipped expensive cocktails.

A source said: "Maria lovingly stroked his arm and face. Clooney seemed to
melt happily into her arms."

Maria has even moved into Clooney's Vogue Hotel suite in Montreal's old
town. When she is not on set with him, she waits there for him to come back
from filming.

Clooney arrives on the film set at about 7am and works for 12-13 hours. Once
Clooney has finished filming for the day, he and Maria regularly have a
quiet dinner together, or with friends, and are back in the hotel by 11pm on
work nights.

When Maria is working, Clooney hangs out at the bar and waits for her to
finish her shift.

Maria, whose mother is South African and father French-Canadian, is a
part-time model with the Giovanni Agency in Montreal.

Agency manager Jean Francois said her lean, athletic figure comes from years
of playing amateur football and said the stunning waitress was in demand for
catalogue work.

But, in a bid to keep the affair secret, Maria has forbidden her agent to
talk about her relationship with Clooney. Francois said: "Maria doesn't want
us to say anything." Friends claim Maria realises serial womaniser Clooney
could drop her like a hot potato - as he has done to countless other women -
once the Montreal filming ends at the end of this month.

But a friend said: "Maria is having a good time and isn't too worried about
the future."

And no wonder. One of Clooney's recent dates, British stunner Lisa Snowdon,
was just another underwear model before she caught the actor's eye on a
shoot for a television commercial.

The Essex-born beauty enjoyed an on/off relationship with the actor. By the
time it ended Lisa had earned worldwide exposure, glossy magazine covers and
a television show. For the moment, though, Maria and Clooney are enjoying
the first flush of their relationship.

The pal said: "Maria is tickled pink she attracted Clooney and gets to meet
stars such as Julia Roberts and Drew Barrymore - who wouldn't be?" And she
may be hoping her role in the film could lead to better things.

Confessions of a Dangerous Mind, which marks Clooney's directorial debut,
and reunites the actor with his Ocean's Eleven co-stars Roberts, Pitt and
Damon, is based on the best-selling autobiography of the same name.

The movie is a comical account of the life of Chuck Barris, the man who
created US hit show The Dating Game, on which Blind Date was based.

He also hosted popular talent contest The Gong Show, and was rumoured - only
half-jokingly - to have led a double life as a hit man for the CIA.

As well as directing, Clooney takes the role of CIA agent Jim Byrd, who
recruits Barris as an assassin. Charlie's Angels actor Sam Rockwell plays
Berris. And it looks like Clooney is not the only one to find love on
location. The movie reunites Rockwell with his Charlie's Angels co-star
Barrymore, who, friends claim, have grown increasingly close.

Barrymore, who plays Berris' girlfriend, split with her comedian husband Tom
Green in December last year.

Green, who is a regular on cult American show Saturday Night Live, also had
a role in Charlie's Angels, playing the man who wins Barrymore's heart.

He is reported to be still pining for his blonde ex-wife and is furious that
she's moved on to Rockwell so quickly after their divorce.

A source said: "Tom's mind is working overtime wondering if there was
anything going on between Drew and Sam on the set of Charlie's Angels."

STUNNING Maria Bertrand is the not the first waitress to take the
heartthrob's fancy.

Clooney's last live-in girlfriend was French law student and waitress Celine
Balitran - who he meet while filming The Peacemaker in Paris.

The relationship lasted three years until blonde Celine became bored waiting
for an engagement ring and gave Clooney the push.

Clooney has frequently voiced his reluctance to walk up the aisle and
friends say this is a case of once bitten twice shy. He married actress
Talia Balsam in 1989 in Las Vegas after a stormy on/off relationship which
started in 1983.

The courtship lasted longer than the marriage, with the couple divorcing
after two years. Clooney admitted: "I'm not cut out for marriage."

Before Talia, Clooney shared his life with the now-Mrs John Travolta,
actress Kelly Preston. Their three-year partnership ended acrimoniously with
the couple going to court to fight for custody of their pot-bellied pig,
Max. Clooney won and the pig still shares his life today.

Kimberly Russell was another actress who dreamed of becoming Mrs Clooney,
but the actor had other ideas.

Kimberly said: "We'd been together for over three years and I wanted a
family. I wanted us to be man and wife, but there was no hope of pinning him
down."

Since Celine walked out, Clooney has romanced several beauties. Actresses
Lucy Lui and Renee Zellweger, model Lisa Snowdon and broadcaster Mariella
Frostrup are among his recent conquests.