George Clooney, 65, jokes about being 'old' ahead of receiving Venice Film Festival lifetime achievement award

George Clooney joked about his age upon hearing he would be honored with the Golden Lion for Lifetime Achievement at the 83rd Venice Film Festival, which runs September 2–12 in Italy.

'I've had so many extraordinary moments in Venice,' the 65-year-old actor-director said in the press release Monday.

'This festival is without question my favorite and to be given the Golden Lion is a tremendous honor. It also probably means I'm old, but I'll take it.'

The festival's artistic director Alberto Barbera credited his decision to celebrate Clooney's four-decade career to his 'triple capacity as actor, director and producer.'

'George Clooney is a complete and charismatic artist, impassioned and original, who has transformed a deep vocation into one of the most luminous parabolas of contemporary film,' Barbera added.

The Daily Mail has reached out to the Jay Kelly producer-star's rep for comment, but did not immediately hear back.

Past movie star recipients of the Golden Lion for Lifetime Achievement include Orson Welles, Charlie Chaplin, Robert De Niro, Al Pacino, Warren Beatty, Sophia Loren, Jerry Lewis, Clint Eastwood, Jane Fonda, Robert Redford, Julie Andrews, Tilda Swinton, Jamie Lee Curtis, Catherine Deneuve and Sigourney Weaver.

Clooney previously won Academy Awards in 2006 for acting in Syriana and in 2013 for producing Argo.

The Kentucky-born silver fox took home four Golden Globe Awards for his acting work in O Brother, Where Art Thou? (2000), Syriana (2005) and The Descendants (2011) as well the Cecil B. DeMille Award in 2015.

Clooney also won four consecutive Actor Awards for his breakout role as pediatric doctor Doug Ross in NBC's medical drama ER between 1996-1999.

The nepo nephew of Rosemary Clooney will begin shooting David Leitch's fifth installment of the star-studded heist film franchise Ocean's 14 this October alongside Julia Roberts, Matt Damon, Brad Pitt and Don Cheadle.

'There was something about the idea that we're too old to do what we used to do, but we're still smart enough to know how to get away with something, that just appeals to me,' Clooney told Variety last December.

'They've lost a step, and they need to find a way to work around their limitations.'

In January, Roberts told the outlet: 'Yes, I have seen a script, and I was kind of surprised, because I was like, "Oh, what is the story going to be?" And it's good. I mean, we wouldn't do it if it's not good.'

But first, the Good Night, and Good Luck thespian will next play a mystery role in Émilie Noblet's French workplace drama Call My Agent! The Movie, which premieres September 10 on Netflix.

Clooney lives on a farm in France with his second wife Amal Alamuddin and their nine-year-old fraternal twins, Alexander and Ella.

The Henry David Thoreau narrator and the 48-year-old human rights lawyer - who began dating in 2013 - will celebrate their 12th wedding anniversary on September 27.

The couple keep busy running their organization The Clooney Foundation for Justice, which provides free legal aid in defense of free speech and women's rights in over 40 countries.

Clooney ended his first marriage to Omaha actress Talia Balsam in 1993 after nearly four years wedded bliss.