While Clint Eastwood is known for his popular Westerns, he is also known for his intense work ethic in his directorials. The 93-year-old actor-director is still working on his fortieth film as a director Juror No. 2, which stars Nicholas Hoult and Toni Collete. He previously directed and starred in the Western drama Cry Macho.
Known for his swift shooting schedules and one-take performances, Clint Eastwood has been sought after by producers who wish to have quicker turnaround times. The Academy Award-winning director reportedly worked through the Barham bushfires when they hit Warner Brothers’ Burbank Studio lot despite being asked to evacuate the premises.
Clint Eastwood Refused To Leave Work Despite A Fire
Actor Clint Eastwood has been known for his intense production schedules and work ethic. The director has been working as an actor since 1955 and made his directorial debut in 1971 with Play Misty For Me. The actor reportedly wanted to avoid all the things he hated in production when he decided to direct and hence developed a working style that prioritized efficiency.
In 2019, Eastwood was helming the biographical drama Richard Jewell, which was based on the Centennial Olympic Park Bombing in Atlanta. The For a Few Dollars More star reportedly continued to work despite the WB Burbank studio lot being evacuated due to decreasing air quality caused by the Barham bushfires.
Clint Eastwood’s son Scott Eastwood posted a video on Instagram showing the smoke behind the studio lot and wrote a caption detailing the incident. He wrote,
“Security told us to evacuate the studio. But my 89-year-old father said. ‘No we’re good, There’s work to be done.’ Then we went into the mixing stage and all watched his new movie @richardjewellfilm As he would say, get back to work and shut up.”
Clint Eastwood recounted the incident on The Ellen Show and said that he had come down to see smoke rising from the studio. He mentioned that he first believed the smoke to be coming from the studio and hoped to retrieve something when he realized that the fire was from behind the studio. So, he continued to work. He said,
“So we went on the sound stage and started working and we forgot about it and…everybody said, ‘The studio’s been evacuated!’ And I said, ‘We’re not evacuated, we’re here working!’”
The dedication bore some fruit during Awards season for the film as star Kathy Bates was nominated for the Academy Awards as well as the Golden Globes for her role as Barbara Jewell.
Classic Clint Eastwood Moments Off-Screen
Clint Eastwood has been in the industry for almost seven decades and has seen many things in life before he even became an actor. A former Army man, Clint Eastwood reportedly took many free flight rides due to his status in the military. He mentioned that he had survived a plane crash in the Pacific Ocean and had to swim for a mile to get to shore.
Eastwood performed many of his stunts in his early action films such as Dirty Harry and The Eiger Sanction. In the latter, which he also directed, he reportedly performed most of the intense mountain climbing scenes on his own, including one of the most dangerous sequences where he had to dangle over an abyss.
Eastwood also became a hero off-screen when he saved a fellow golfer from choking on his food. The actor reportedly saved the life of one Steve John as he choked on his cheese at a PGA Tour party. John told ESPN the circumstances around the incident,
“I was drinking water and eating these little appetizers, threw down a piece of cheese and it just didn’t work. I was looking at him and couldn’t breathe. He recognized it immediately and saved my life…I can’t believe I’m 202 pounds and he threw me up in the air three times”
Eastwood reportedly performed the Heimlich maneuver on him and saved his life. The actor mentioned that he immediately recognized the expression on Steve John’s face and sprung into action.