Scott Eastwood Talks About His Dad, Clint Eastwood
In a candid interview, Scott Eastwood shared some personal and fascinating stories about his legendary father, Clint Eastwood, including a harrowing event that nearly changed the course of history for the Eastwood family.
Scott began by revealing a life-threatening event from Clint’s youth. When Clint was 21, just moments away from being deployed to the Korean War, he was in a plane crash near San Francisco. “He had to swim over two miles to shore, at night, with sharks in the waters,” Scott explained. The crash led to Clint’s survival, but it also kept him from going to war, a twist of fate that altered his life path forever.
Discussing Clint’s life today, Scott spoke about how his father continues to defy age. At 91, Clint is still incredibly active, exercising regularly and living life to the fullest. He also shared that Clint fathered three more children after Scott, with his youngest child being just 20 years old, a reminder of Clint’s enduring vitality.
Despite being Clint Eastwood’s son, Scott described what it’s like to speak with him as being a humbling experience. “It’s like you’re trying to pull little slivers of knowledge from him,” Scott said. Clint casually mentions extraordinary moments, like spending time with Frank Sinatra or his work in the 60s, and Scott is left stunned, trying to soak in every bit of wisdom from his father’s extraordinary life.
Scott also talked about the complexity of Clint’s public persona. While many people see Clint as the tough, no-nonsense character in his films, Scott described his father as far more nuanced. Clint is a man with many shades, always weighing issues from a middle-ground perspective, not the one-dimensional figure that the media often portrays.
Clint’s brief foray into politics as the mayor of Carmel was also mentioned. While Scott was a young child during this time, he recalled how Clint quickly decided politics wasn’t for him after being urged to run for governor. Clint’s approach to life was always about going after what felt right to him, even if it didn’t follow the usual path.
One of the most poignant moments in the interview was when Scott discussed Clint’s movie Unforgiven. He explained that the film was a reflection of Clint’s career in Westerns, but with a much more sober look at aging, regret, and redemption. Clint had sat on the script for nearly a decade, waiting for the right moment to bring it to life. According to Scott, Clint felt he wasn’t old enough yet to truly bring the depth to the character, proving that even a Hollywood icon understands the importance of timing and maturity.
Scott also recalled Clint’s early career with the famous spaghetti Westerns, which were originally thought to be a gamble. Clint didn’t even realize that his film Fistful of Dollars had become a major hit in America until it started catching fire overseas.
In the end, the conversation turned light-hearted when Scott humorously reflected on Clint’s comedy films, such as Every Which Way But Loose. He jokingly suggested remaking it, but quickly changed his mind due to the dangerous nature of working with orangutans!
This insightful conversation sheds light on Clint Eastwood as both a legendary figure in Hollywood and as a father—a man with a lifetime of incredible stories and a deep, often understated, wisdom. Scott Eastwood continues to learn from his father’s example, soaking in the knowledge and experiences that have made Clint one of the most respected figures in the entertainment world.
