George Clooney's new look is to dye for

So it will be reassuring for the rest of mankind to know that George Clooney too has insecurities about the onset of middle age.

Although they are clearly not something a little dieting, sunbathing, surgery and hair dye won't fix.

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Promoting his latest movie, Oceans 13, at the Cannes Film Festival yesterday, Clooney, 47, looked to have dyed his trademark greying hair an alarming shade of blond.

He also seemed to have slimmed down considerably and to have over-done it in the French Riviera's unforgiving sun.

Clooney's rejuvenated look comes just a few weeks after he revealed that he had undergone surgery to remove the saggy skin around his eyes.

Back in January Clooney confided in friend Julia Roberts during a TV interview that he had undergone surgery on his eyes.

He told Roberts: "I think it's important to look awake."

Perhaps spending so much time with fresh-faced co-stars like Matt Damon, 36, and Brad Pitt, 43, is behind Clooney's youthful new appearance.

Of course being an actor he will always to be able to excuse bad hair and yo-yo-ing weight by blaming them on his latest film role.

Surely though the sunburn and eye surgery were not required for any forthcoming project.

"He is just a few years short of 50 but is trying to look like a man half his age.

"Earlier this year he admitted to getting his eyes done and now he has dyed his hair and gone on a crash diet.

"Perhaps he's worried about the competition from younger actors such as Matt Damon and Brad Pitt. He is having to work hard to stay looking good" said a source on his latest movie.

Back in 2005 Clooney admitted he was unhappy to put weight on so quickly in preparation for his role as CIA operative Bob Barnes in Syriana.

He says: "I put it on so quickly, I was anxious to get it off. The depressing thing was that I could put on 35 pounds in 30 days."