The MailOnline has apologised to George Clooney over a story which claimed that Baria Alamuddin, his future mother-in-law, was against his upcoming marriage to international human rights lawyer Amal Alamuddin for religious reasons.

In an open letter in USA Today, the actor said that a Daily Mail story earlier this week wrongly reported that Amal Alamuddin’s mother had “been telling half of Beirut” that she was not happy about her daughter getting married to Clooney because he is not a member of the Druze religious group.

The MailOnline said that the information in the article was "supplied in good faith” by a trusted freelancer, and has launched an investigation.

The online publication's spokesperson added: "We have removed the article from our website and will be contacting Mr Clooney's representatives to discuss giving him the opportunity to set the record straight."

Clooney said that he “seldom respond[s] to tabloids, unless it involves someone else and their safety or well being” but that “none of the story is factually true”.

“Amal’s mother is not Druze. She has not been to Beirut since Amal and I have been dating, and she is in no way against the marriage – but none of that is the issue,” Clooney wrote.

"This lie involves larger issues. The irresponsibility, in this day and age, to exploit religious differences where none exist, is at the very least negligent and more appropriately danger.

"We have family members all over the world, and the idea that someone would inflame any part of that world for the sole reason of selling newspapers should be criminal."