Clint Eastwood explains what makes him Clint Eastwood: “I’ve eliminated all the chaos”
Unless there are some very confident exceptions, no actor or filmmaker sets out on their career with eyes on becoming a timeless icon of cinema. It’s a status that can’t be manufactured, even if it was one that came very easily for Clint Eastwood.
He’s been a household name since the 1960s, playing countless unforgettable characters and directing dozens of prestigious features. He’s the face of the revisionist western, one of the industry’s greatest action heroes, a four-time Academy Award winner, and a favourite of impressionists and comedians everywhere.
There are many things that make Eastwood who he is, whether it’s his unmistakably grizzled line delivery, that piercing thousand-yard stare, or the squint that’s become an intrinsic part of his mythology. Even on the other side of the camera, he’s famed for his economical work ethic and effortless ability to come in on time and under budget, while he likes to work with the same crew on as many pictures as possible.
All of the above and much more have played their part in making him one of Hollywood’s most formidable and famous figures, but how did he get to that point in the first place? People who’ve never even met him or worked with him refer to Eastwood largely on a first-name basis, such is the way he’s become woven into the fabric of the business.
When asked what made him the indelible presence that he is by Tribute, he tried his best to offer a reasonable answer. “I don’t know what makes Clint Eastwood anything! That’s a hard one to answer,” he admitted. “It’s very subjective.” What’s not subjective is that he’s one of the all-time greats as both an actor and director, which he subsequently alluded to.
“I think, the fact that I started out as an actor for quite a few years before I even started directing, so, it’s just time,” he suggested. “I think, eventually you develop a comfort zone for people that maybe I didn’t have as a newcomer as a director. When I first started doing it, I think the sets were OK, but I think now I’ve gotten into a groove where I keep everybody comfortable.”
The veteran confessed that “it’s hard work doing a film and to keep your adrenaline level right where it should be,” matters that aren’t helped by “having it spiked all day long by a lot of chaos.” On the other hand, Eastwood has become so adept at steering the ship that it isn’t something that concerns him anymore.
“I’ve eliminated the chaos,” he offered before dispensing another nugget of classic Eastwood wisdom. “I always have a saying on the set that I don’t want to hear anyone’s voice but my own,” and given his reputation it stands to reason those are rules everyone abides by.
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