Clint Eastwood’s favourite actor of all time: “He was fearless”
If John Wayne, James Stewart and Gary Cooper were icons of western cinema in Hollywood’s Golden Age and beyond, Clint Eastwood would certainly take up the mantle, thriving in the industry from the 1960s all the way up to the contemporary 21st century. Eastwood’s position as one of the formative actors in the proliferation of what we know to be Hollywood today is as carved into the rock of the cinematic landscape as to join the aforementioned stars as part of a western Mount Rushmore.
The century saw Eastwood take on a variety of roles that would help him become one of the most famous faces in the world. Throughout that time, he has collaborated with some of the greatest filmmakers of all time, including Sergio Leone, Richard Benjamin and Don Siegel.
Still, much like his iconic on-screen ‘man with no name’ who appeared throughout Leone’s Dollars Trilogy, Eastwood has long been something of a lone wolf in cinema, working only with a select few filmmakers. In fact, ever since 1971, Eastwood has seen the benefits of working both in front of and behind the camera, helming such classics as The Outlaw Josey Wales, Pale Rider and the ‘Best Picture’ winner Unforgiven.
Considering his passion for the western genre, you might think that Eastwood’s all-time favourite actor would be such aforementioned stars as Wayne, Stewart or Cooper, but, in actuality, his idol wasn’t known for his cowboy forays. The dustier side of the dirt trail was certainly important to Eastwood and his career, but like any movie lover, he wasn’t beholden to a single genre.
Speaking in an interview with Patrick McGilligan, which features in the 1999 book Clint Eastwood: Interviews, Eastwood revealed that his favourite actor was the star of White Heat, James Cagney. “He isn’t at all like me. When I first started out as an actor, all the secretaries used to call me Coop, because they thought I resembled Gary Cooper, kind of a backward kid –- quite a few years ago”.
While a resemblance to a legend might be enough to encourage Eastwood to fall at the feet of Cooper, the truth is that James Cagney had something entirely different. On-screen or off it, Eastwood was captivated by Cagney. Eastwood started: “But Cagney … I always liked Cagney’s style and energy”.
Continuing, he added: “He was fearless. Most of those guys were, though: they were fearless. Going back to the most famous thing, sticking grapefruits in people’s faces, they weren’t afraid to do things that were outrageous. A lot of good actors get wrapped up in images”.
An actor, dancer and film director known for his energetic on-screen personality, Cagney is best known for his work alongside Humphrey Bogart and Pat O’Brien in 1938’s Angels with Dirty Faces. The success of the movie would lead to the actor’s very first Oscar nomination for ‘Best Leading Actor’, with the star taking home the statuette four years later for his role in Yankee Doodle Dandy with Joan Leslie and Walter Huston.
Meanwhile, whilst Eastwood is known for his multiple roles in front of the camera, receiving praise for countless films throughout the 20th century, in the modern industry, he is better known for his directorial work. Winning an Academy Award for ‘Best Director’ for his work on the 2004 film Million Dollar Baby, Eastwood has since helmed such favourites as Letters from Iwo Jima, Gran Torino and American Sniper.
Juror #2 is thought to be his final movie, and has been routinely praised for a host of impressive performances. The film tells the story of a murder trial in which one juror seeks to protect the defendant after realising he has deeper ties to the case. Starring Nicholas Hoult and Toni Collette, the film is sure to be a mighty swansong for Eastwood.
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