Amal Alamuddin, the human rights lawyer who recently married movie star George Clooney, topped Barbara Walters‘ 2014, 10 Most Fascinating People list.

Amal Alamuddin Named Most Fascinating Person

Walters announced Alamuddin’s place at the top of her 2014 list Sunday night. “I guess the question is: ‘What does it take to fascinate one of the most fascinating men in the world?’ ” Walters said, introducing Alamiuddin.  “She is known primarily through her spouse. And while we now little about her, we know a great deal about him.”

“You could say hers was the wedding of the year,” Walters added. “But let’s put it into perspective: It was really one of the greatest achievements in human history.”

“Amal Alamuddin — known now as Amal Clooney — is suddenly in that stratosphere that we reserve for the Jackie O’s or the Princess Di’s or Kate Middleton. That is, everything she does, says or wears is officially fascinating,” the esteemed journalist said.

Alamuddin outdid Oprah Winfrey, Taylor Swift, Game of Thrones author George R. R. Martin, Michael Strahan, businessman Elon Musk, billionaire David Koch, Neil Patrick Harris, Chelsea Handler, and Scarlett Johansson to land the top spot on Walter’s annual list.

The Lebanon-born and London-based barrister exploded to celebrity status through her marriage to Clooney, but was “fascinating” in her own right before tying the knot in grand fashion in Venice over the summer. Early in her career, Alamuddin clerked for Supreme Court Justice Sonia Sotomayor and has represented WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange and advises the King of Bahrain and Kofi Annan.