American Actor, Composer, Film Director, and Producer Clint Eastwood may be one of the most iconic Spaghetti Western actors alive. Still, his personal life was far from perfect, especially his relationship with American Actress Sondra Locke.
He was described with so many mean names due to his philandering ways, and many were left to wonder what might have gone wrong in the actor’s life. Let’s take a look into the personal life of Eastwood and his relationship with Locke.
EASTWOOD’S MARRIAGE TO JOHNSON
Eastwood began earning the reputation of a seducer in the 1950s when he was still married to Swimsuit Model Maggie Johnson. Before making it big in the entertainment industry, he used to rely on Johnson’s money to get by.
Still, he would frequently cheat on his wife with different women on and off movie sets. In 1984, the pair finally decided that it was time to call it quits on their marriage, and they went their separate ways.
However, by that time, Eastwood had already been in a relationship with Locke for nine years. The duo had an age difference of almost two decades, but it did not inhibit their love and display of affection.
HOW DID THEY MEET?
Locke and Eastwood first met while working together on the 1976 movie “The Outlaw Josey Wales.” The actress described her first encounter with Eastwood in a 2013 interview with The Wandrin Star. Locke revealed that when she saw the actor, it was love at first sight. They eventually went out on a date, and their return from the outing saw the start of their love story.
INSIDE THE PAIR’S ROMANCE
In her tell-all book titled “The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly,” Locke explained what transpired between her and Eastwood upon their return from the date. According to the actress, when she returned to her hotel room after the date, the composer pulled her into his arms, kissing her delicately and gently.
Next, Eastwood lifted Locke and carried her across the room to the bed. Recalling the experience, the actress talked about his physique, saying she thought Eastwood was the most gorgeous man she had ever seen. His tall, lithe, muscular body and brave face were some reasons she was attracted to him.
More interestingly, despite Eastwood’s physical stature, he was affectionate, gentle, and thoughtful. That night marked the beginning of their romance, which lasted for several years. Locke and Eastwood cared more about their feelings than the fact that they were both married to other people at the time.
The actress’s marriage was more of a façade as her husband, Gordon Anderson, was a gay man.Being involved in such a union made it relatively easy for Locke to pick interest in another man. It was also reported that Eastwood chose Locke to be his love interest in the movie they were working on.
“The Outlaw Josey Wales” was not the only movie that the pair featured in together. They co-starred in several box office hits like “Any Which Way You Can” and “The Gauntlet.”
Later on, she would discover that Eastwood paid the money to Warner Bros to create a dead-end for Locke’s career.
THE BEGINNING OF THEIR FEUD
Eastwood had no intention of hiding their relationship from his wife or the media. Sadly after spending more than a decade together, Eastwood and Locke’s relationship took a downward spiral.
Things got even more complicated when the actress got pregnant, and Eastwood persuaded her to terminate the pregnancy. Locke agreed and got an abortion. The following year, she got pregnant again, and Eastwood pressured her to terminate the pregnancy. The actress succumbed and underwent a second abortion.
Later on, Locke claimed Eastwood also persuaded her into having her tubes tied. After her abortions, the pair’s romance became worse, and the actor started drifting away from the relationship.
It is important to note that Eastwood had divorced his wife, Johnson, after being married for 25 years. Sadly, Locke did not return the favor.She stayed married to Anderson, even though he was gay, which led to Eastwood getting jealous. He had gotten tired of Anderson’s constant need for attention and his mistress’s readiness to supply it.
All of those, accompanied by Eastwood’s intentions of starting a family with Locke, led to the actor’s drift from the relationship. Rather than break up with Locke, Eastwood stopped paying attention and turned to other women. To end their relationship for good, the actor changed the locks of the Bel Air house he had bought for Locke as a gift, gathered all her belongings, and left them in the storage.
THE FIRST LAWSUIT
Eastwood probably never expected that Locke would have taken matters to court to file a palimony suit. In the actress’s written statement, she revealed that Eastwood kicked her out despite their agreement.
The pair had agreed to put their breakup conversation on hold until Locke was done filming her second movie, “Impulse.” Sadly, Eastwood breached their agreement, and Locke received a letter from his lawyers informing her about the changed locks.
Locke sued Eastwood for breach in contract and emotional distress, among other claims. But one year later, she dropped the suit after Eastwood duped her into doing so in exchange for a three-year contract deal to direct films for Warner Bros.
After dropping the case, Locke was paid $1.5 million and received an office at the Warner Bros. Studio lot but never worked on a film.
LOCKE SUED EASTWOOD AGAIN
Later on, she would discover that Eastwood paid the money to Warner Bros to create a dead-end for Locke’s career. Upon her discovery, she filed another lawsuit accusing Eastwood of fraud and intentionally interfering with her career.
The actress sought two million dollars plus damages. However, Eastwood denied the allegations. The case was eventually settled out of court before the jury completed a verdict. The duo went their separate ways, continuing with their careers. Currently, Eastwood is 91 years old and is still working, but Locke died in 2018 after battling breast and bone cancer. She was 74.