George Clooney is among more than 200 witnesses accepted by a Milan court in the trial of former Premier Silvio Berlusconi for allegedly paying for sex with an underage prostitute.
Clooney has said he was approached by Berlusconi's team to give evidence about "bunga bunga" parties at Berlusconi's villas, but says he only visited the premier's residence once to seek aid for Darfur and declined an invitation to stay.
Berlusconi's defence lawyer Niccolo Ghedini said that Clooney and soccer star Cristiano Ronaldo are on the defence list because an important prosecution witness cited them.
Clooney said he was willing to give evidence, but added: "I wasn't at the bunga bunga party.
"I went to speak about Darfur ... It was a very interesting conversation to say the least, that became a very different kind of event than anyone ever thought."
At the end of the meeting, Clooney said he was invited to stay for a party. The actor said he responded: "No, I gotta go."
The witness list also includes Karima el-Mahroug, or "Ruby the Heart Breaker", the Moroccan teenager who is alleged to have had sex with Berlusconi in exchange for money. Both she and Berlusconi, 75, have denied a sexual relationship.
By accepting the witnesses, the court agrees their evidence is relevant, although either side may decide later to reduce the number of witnesses or not to call someone because their testimony is no longer needed.
Elisabetta Canalis is the girlfriend before last of actor George Clooney. Here's our Slideshow of George and his list of loves...
George Clooney's Ladies
Talia Balsam(01 of08)
Open Image ModalSo far the one and only Mrs George ClooneyWas married to the ever-since singleton for four years from 1989 to 1993Now married to actor John Slattery, with whom she co-stars in Mad Men, with one child
Kelly Preston(02 of08)
Open Image ModalHad a short-lived fling with George Clooney before her marriage to John TravoltaLeft an indelible mark on Clooney's life, however, with a present to him - his pet pig, Max, who, before he died, seemed to have a more secure place in Clooney's affections than any woman.
Lisa Snowdon(03 of08)
Open Image ModalLisa Snowdon proved that some girls' dreams do come true, when she was whisked off her feet by George Clooney, back in 2000, after meeting him on the set of a Martini commercial.The pair dated on and off for five years, and have remained friends.Snowdon now co-presents a radio breakfast show with Johnny Vaughan, and remains single.
Mariella Frostrup(04 of08)
Open Image ModalRumours abound that George Clooney and Mariella Frostrup became more than friends after they struck up a rapport at Cannes Film Festival over a decade ago. Nonetheless, both have denied being any more than good friends, and Clooney is a devoted guardian to Frostrup's two children with her human rights lawyer husband, Jason McCue.The family has often holidayed with Clooney at his villa in Lake Como, Italy.
(05 of08)
Open Image ModalRenee Zellwegger is another of George Clooney's longtime female friends, who is rumoured to have dated him back around 2001. The pair co-starred in Leatherheads in 2008, by which time Renee had married, and split from, Kenny Chesney. George had made no such trip down the altar.
Sarah Larson(06 of08)
Open Image ModalIt seemed that George Clooney had finally settled down with former waitress Sarah Larson a few years ago - the pair survived a motorbike crash in the early days of their courtship, and Larson accompanied Clooney to the UN when he campaigned for Darfur. Their union was unceremoniously called off in 2008.
Elisabetta Canalis(07 of08)
Open Image ModalOnce again, it looked like wedding bells were ringing for George Clooney when he took up with Italian TV presenter Elisabetta Canalis, whisking her off to his Lake Como villa on the back of his motorbike - what's not to like? Two years later and, despite her Mediterranean charms being splashed over the press in the skimpiest of bikinis, she made the fatal mistake of mentioning that she'd like to get married one day. Splash, into Lake Como, went her dream of settling down with the eternal bachelor, and off she went to lick her wounds with her Italian family.
Stacy Keibler(08 of08)
Open Image ModalExit Elisabetta, enter Stacy - with almost unseemly haste, it seems Clooney has a new lady on his arm, this time former wrestler and model Stacy Keibler, whom it appears George Clooney has been friends with for years.Keibler was flown to - guess where - Lake Como - recently, where she tweeted: "I'm in heaven".Despite Clooney's protestations that he never wants to settle down, he may do well to keep on the right side of Stacy. Bearing in mind her former profession, she may not take any shoddy treatment lying down.