AceShowbiz - George Clooney's decision to buy a villa in Lake Como revolutionized his outlook on life - because the actor was too caught up in the Hollywood machine before he made the move to Europe. The "Ocean's Eleven" star's base has always been in Los Angeles for his filming commitments but he bought a multi-million dollar mansion just outside the town of Laglio, Italy as an investment.

Clooney fell in love with the tranquil area after spending long periods of time there - and started to focus more on his personal life and relationships than on his work. He tells Britain's The Sun, "I was working so hard on my film projects that for a time I basically didn't even think very much about how my personal life was evolving. I didn't care, in the sense that I didn't have a family or children to look after and that I wasn't involved in a long-term relationship."

"What changed my life in a very pleasant and unexpected way was buying the villa in Laglio. That was a pure investment decision - I thought maybe I would spend a few weeks vacationing there. But then I realized how beautiful life was in Italy and how it really helped calm me and not feel so pressured."