Morgan Freeman explains the power of Clint Eastwood: “An actor’s director”
More often than not, an older filmmaker will latch onto a younger performer and form an indelible cinematic bond; just look at Martin Scorsese and Leonardo DiCaprio or John Ford and John Wayne. But, other times, two iconic leads will see the creative potential in each others’ work, with Clint Eastwood and Morgan Freeman having made three movies together since 1992.
Starting out in front of the camera, starring as the beloved western icon ‘The Man With No Name’ in Sergio Leone’s iconic Dollars trilogy, Eastwood has arguably enjoyed more success behind the camera, earning four Academy Awards since becoming a filmmaker. Still, despite such hits as Unforgiven and Million Dollar Baby, Eastwood will forever be largely recognised as the titular police officer Dirty Harry or the nameless wanderer of the Western plains.
Freeman, on the other hand, has only twice stepped behind the camera, though neither such occasion proved to be very successful, taking charge of 1993’s Bopha and three episodes of the 2015 TV show Madam Secretary. Instead, all his plaudits have come as a performer, earning his only Oscar to date during the making of Eastwood’s own 2005 film Million Dollar Baby.
It’s not only Million Dollar Baby Freeman has to thank Eastwood for either, with the director helping to give the former one of his greatest-ever roles in the form of Ned Logan in Unforgiven and also, arguably, Nelson Mandella in 2009’s Invictus. It’s no wonder, then, that Freeman considers the director such an icon and source of inspiration for him.
“I think Clint is an actor’s director,” he revealed in an interview with RTE, “He doesn’t direct actors. He directs movies. He hires actors, and it’s your job. And I love that about him that you establish your own character; you play it and do what the scene calls for. [He’ll] have the scene set up. Cameras will be where we want them to be. Lights will be where we want them to be. And go for it”.
Continuing, the actor added: “He never says action, and he never says cut. He’s his own person on a movie set. Wonderful. I begged him to direct Invictus. It’s one of the few movies he directed that he wasn’t in”.
The pair have formed one of the most understated and underappreciated partnerships of modern cinema, with both helping to elevate the others’ artistry. Here’s hoping Freeman has a secret cameo in the forthcoming Juror #2.
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