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Clint Eastwood Reveals He’s An Introvert and Why He Almost Gave Up Acting As a Kid
His film resume features some of the best performances, but legendary star Clint Eastwood almost didn’t go down the acting route.
“I did a one-act play once when I was in high school or junior high school, and I swore I would never do that again,” the 89-year-old revealed during an interview with the Washington Post. “I hated the idea. I was a terribly complex young kid, and the last thing I wanted to do is do an extrovert-ish thing like acting. But then when you get into acting later as an adult, you realize it’s not necessarily an extroverted thing. Introverts make great actors because they have a lot of things they’re holding in. It’s just a question of learning how to get them out into the open.”
“It’s also a funny profession because you don’t know where the next thing is happening,” the Oscar winner continued. “You try it even if it has no resemblance to you at all or anything you’ve ever thought of. It’s a fun life, but a lot of it just so happens. Stories come along. And stories are the king. And you go ahead and try to tell them the best you can. But it’s not just not an intellectual art form. It’s an emotional art form.”
Clint’s final acting role was in 2018’s The Mule, but the icon continues to work behind the scenes — his most recent work is the true story, Richard Jewell. This project of course had its ups and downs. “The challenge was that four-year period where the frustration of having the project all together right up to the last half an inch and then all of a sudden it fell apart — and it fell apart partly on my fault, too,” Clint told the outlet. “You negotiate and you hit a wall. Different studios owned the property. And finally I walked away. Then this last year, I said, ‘I wonder whatever happened to that? And I wonder if I could reinstate it?'”
Aside from his career, Clint is also a father to eight kids — Laurie, 65, Kimber, 55, Kyle, 51, Alison, 47, Scott, 33, Kathryn, 31, Francesca, 26, and Morgan, 23. The A-list director also always has time to pass down some wise words for his children, especially his actor son Scott.
“I will say that he tells me to listen. Listen more. Keep my mouth shut,” The Longest Ride costar once exclusively told Closer Weekly. of advice his famous father has given him. “I’m pretty good at this.”
We’re just glad Clint stayed the course!
