It’s one of the biggest stories in Hollywood, but somehow George Clooney managed to miss the news of Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie’s divorce after two years of marriage.

Clooney, who counts both Pitt and Jolie as close friends, was asked about the pair’s separation while visiting the United Nations General Assembly in New York on Tuesday.

Scroll down to see Clooney’s reaction on video

Jolie filed for divorce from Pitt on Monday citing “irreconcilable differences” and revealing that the couple had separated on September 15.

Clooney was visibly shocked by news of the split, broken to him by CNN reporter Richard Roth.

“Don’t shoot me on this last question, it’s a big story, you’re friends with both of them… Angelina and your friend Brad,” Roth asked.

“What happened?” Clooney asked.

“Divorce,” Roth replied.

“I didn’t know that, wow,” a clearly taken-aback Clooney said.

“I feel very sorry then. That’s a sad story and unfortunate for a family. It’s an unfortunate story about a family. I feel very sorry to hear that.

“That’s the first I’ve heard of it,” he admitted.

Watch the interview below:

WATCH: George Clooney is stunned when CNN tells him Angelina Jolie & Brad Pitt are divorcing https://t.co/Hos12fgCZp pic.twitter.com/h94ewdrMuo

— CNN Entertainment (@CNNent) September 20, 2016

Clooney has been attending the Summit with his wife Amal, a human rights lawyer who is currently mounting a case against the Islamic State on behalf of a former sex slave.

The couple took part in a roundtable discussion with President Barack Obama about the Syrian refugee crisis.

Angelina criticised

Meanwhile, some are questioning the timing of Pitt and Jolie’s divorce announcement, which coincided with the UN’s Summit for Refugees and Migrants.

Time magazine journalist Dan Stewart suggested the news of the couple’s split could overshadow the Summit, something Jolie, a UN Special Envoy for Refugees, would likely have thought about.

Divorce of Angelina Jolie, UN special envoy for refugees, guaranteed to overshadow huge UN summit on refugees

— Dan Stewart (@thatdanstewart) September 20, 2016

Others on Twitter agreed the timing was unfortunate given the massive media interest in the divorce.

With all the work Angelina Jolie has done for refugees, you'd think she might avoid a divorce announcement during the #refugeesummit.

— Marc DuBois (@Humanicontraria) September 20, 2016

I don't understand, Angelina Jolie is huge advocate for #refugees, why would she undermine Obama summit like this?!! https://t.co/gQD7ZSkDr1

— Elizabeth Collett (@migrationliz) September 20, 2016

The Summit, which was the first ever UN General Assembly dedicated to Refugees and Migrants, closed on Monday evening.

Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull, at a Leaders Summit on Refugees on Tuesday, pledged $130 million in aid to displaced persons, as well as setting Australia’s humanitarian refugee intake at 19,000 a year.