GEORGE CLOONEY - CLOONEY TERRIFIED OF PAINKILLER ADDICTION

Actor GEORGE CLOONEY refuses to take painkillers for fear of becoming addicted, despite suffering from blinding daily headaches.

The 44-year-old star is wary of the drugs after witnessing his aunt's - singer ROSEMARY CLOONEY - dependence on them before her death three years ago (2002).

Rosemary, who co-starred with BING CROSBY in the film WHITE CHRISTMAS, became hooked on the pills, as well as suffering an alcohol addiction, before dying from lung cancer.

The OCEAN'S TWELVE star is still recuperating from an operation last December (04) to stop a leak of spinal fluid to his head during filming for political thriller SYRIANA.

He says, "I don't take painkillers because we've had members of our family who have become very fond of painkillers over the years."