Can you believe that it’s already been four months since George Clooney and Amal Alamuddin got married? I cannot. It seems like I just figured out how to spell Amal’s maiden name, and she’s already changed it. Well four months is long for Clooney to be married, but relatively short in the scheme of some things, like engagements. Wedding guests Ellen Barkin, a friend and co-star of the groom, and Ben Emmerson, a friend and colleague of the bride, made a love match at the reception and are reportedly already engaged.

I’m surprised that Barkin, 60, is allegedly engaged again. No shade on her age at all, it’s just that I still remember how she sold all her jewelry after her high profile divorce from billionaire Ron Perelman in 2006. She made around $20 million for her jewels, and said that she sold them “so I — and my children and my mother — would be taken care of.” It was unknown if she made any kind of settlement in her divorce. After that she scored Oceans 13 and a bunch of other acting gigs. Plus Barkin was dating a much younger man for years. In 2011 she had a boyfriend who was just 26 at the time and she had reportedly been with him for four years at that point. So that’s another reason why I’m surprised.

Here’s more on Barkin’s maybe-engagement, thanks to US Magazine:

Ellen Barkin has found love again — and she has George Clooney and Amal Alamuddin to thank. The Sea of Love star is engaged to Alamuddin’s colleague, British barrister and Queen’s counsel Ben Emmerson, a source reveals exclusively to Us Weekly.

“She is so happy and in love again,” the source confirms to Us, adding that the actress and lawyer got engaged over the holidays, after meeting at Alamuddin and Clooney’s September 2014 nuptials.
“Ellen met him at George and Amal’s wedding and they totally hit it off,” the insider explains. “It happened quickly but she’s totally fallen for him and flies to see him all the time.”

Aside from intelligence — Emmerson specializes in human rights law, public international law, and international crime law, among a bevy of other accolades — the source tells Us that Barkin, 60, fell in love with the 51-year-old’s charm.

“He is really handsome and smart and charming and swept her off her feet,” the insider says.

As for their celeb BFFs Clooney and Alamuddin? The insider says they couldn’t be happier for their friends.
“George and Amal love them together! They both love Ellen and Ben so they think this is so great and love that they made a great match happen,” the source says.

[From US Magazine]

Human rights lawyers for all the celebrities! Impressive that he’s a lawyer for the queen too. I wish Barkin well for her third marriage. (She was also married to actor Gabriel Byrne from 1988 to 1998.) Maybe she should enjoy her engagement and not rush to make it official after less than a year with someone. Especially when they’re living in different countries. Still, this guy seems much more suited to her than her last boyfriend, a director who was over 30 years younger than her.

After I wrote this story, Kaiser pointed me to E!, which has a denial from Emmerson’s camp. All the statement says is that “Mr. Emmerson is not engaged to Ellen Barkin.” So, maybe they’re dating and not engaged then? It’s bizarre, because US Magazine would not have run this story without a solid source. They’re usually very good about that.

I couldn’t find any photos of Emmerson at our agencies, but you can see a photo of him on US’s site.