Clint and Scott Eastwood have a close father and son relationship. Scott described his dad as old-fashioned but praised him for raising him well even though they didn’t live together for years.
Actors Clint and Scott Eastwood had a sit-down interview with Esquire for the first time in 2016. During the interview, they compared Clint’s movie “Sully,” which he directed, and a film Scott starred in, “Snowden.” The topic was about principles and integrity.
The legendary actor made comments about the two films stating that it is intriguing how the themes of the movies contrast each other.
Clint pointed out how people lack integrity nowadays while mentioning his fascination with his son’s movie. Scott, 36, chimed in:
“It’s an interesting time. My father’s definitely old-school. And he raised me with integrity – to be at places on time, show up, and work hard.”
When asked about not seeing his dad quite a lot growing up, Scott said he lived with his mother in Hawaii until he upset her, joking he went to live with his father and ended up bothering him too.
Actress Francesca Eastwood, director Clint Eastwood, and actor Scott Eastwood attend the screening of “Sully” at Directors Guild Of America on September 8, 2016 in Los Angeles, California | Photo: Getty Images
When asked about being a teenager and having his dad lay down the law in the house, and if he ever thought about him as a scary person, he replied: “Oh, yeah, sure.” Clint added:
“He was a pretty good kid. Not much of a problem. His mother gave him a lot of values because she’s a good person.”
Scott added to what his father said, explaining that his mom was more understanding. “You get the law laid down, you know, the ax. I look at it like weapons in my war chest now. He made me hustle, and claw, and fight. That’s all the stuff you want. You want that drive.”
Scott’s mother is Jacelyn Reeves, 70, and worked as a flight attendant when she met then-married Clint. The pair had an affair that reportedly lasted years, and they even had a daughter named Kathryn, 34.
Clint, now 92, has remained in his son’s life since birth, and Scott himself has vivid memories of their time together from his childhood. He revealed to GQ in 2016 that they used to hang out the film set on “Space Cowboys,” took long helicopter rides up the Californian coast with Clint in the pilot’s seat:
“As a younger kid, there was an aura of greatness. Like, he’s my hero.”
When asked if it was hard for him to be away from his son growing up, Clint said it was, “I didn’t get a chance to see him because I had a hot career going.”
Scott added that he was absent because he was building his career. He also emphasized that regardless, Clint made sure he felt his presence in his life.
The “Fury” star also noted that his father taught him that everything is earned. Earlier in his career, he was wary of nepotism speculations, so he used his mother’s maiden name.
At age seventeen, Scott graduated from Santa Barbara City College and cleared restaurant tables for a living. He rode his pushbike to and fro between work and his classes:
“I called dad and was like, ‘I’ve got this job; can I get eight grand to buy a truck? I’m working this job, I can pay you back ‘X’ amount a month,’ and I remember the phone going silent.”
Scott said his dad blatantly refused to give him the car loan. Nonetheless, he ended up getting a deal on a ’91 Ford Crown Vic for his first car.
He learned a valuable lesson from his dad saying no to him but said he is not giving him all the credit because his mom played a crucial role in raising him, making him a better man.
The model explained that he was a hustler and was one until he made it to where he is now. He added that he loves having the hustler mentality.
In April 2017, in an interview with Conan’ O Brien, the television host mentioned that Scott has to audition to be in his father’s movies which he found peculiar.
O’Brien said as his father he should be aware of what Scott is capable of, of which the “Overdrive” actor replied: “Uh, no,” while joking that he feels like Clint does not like him in his movies.
He explained he has auditioned for many of his movies and did not get parts on most of them. Clint may have given him a hard time, but the father and son have a good working relationship.
When asked if they are competitive, Clint said he is the opposite because he is happy to see Scott do well. The producer added that he is satisfied that his son is working and doing better than he was his age.
As for Scott, he could not be more proud of his dad, sharing that he is more inspired by the film he makes and that Clint’s movies are the type of films he would like to feature.
In March 2015, Scott shared the advice he received from his father, saying that Clint told him that whatever he does, he should do it well, should remain humble, continue to work hard and be a man.
While Clint appears to be a good father with sound advice, his reputation was tainted in 2018 when claims of mistreating his former lover made headlines.
A former girlfriend, Sondra Locke, who had a tumultuous 13-year relationship, accused him of forcing her to have two abortions and repeatedly cheated on her.
Locke, now deceased, was an actress who met Clint in 1972, and they began dating in 1975 after they co-starred in the western “The Outlaw Josey Wales.”
The former couple’s relationship was full of controversy because Locke was married to sculptor Gordon Leigh Anderson nine years earlier and was still married to him until she died.
She claimed Clint made her have abortions claiming that it would not fit into their lifestyle. In her autobiography titled “The Good, the Bad and the Very Ugly: A Hollywood Journey,” Locke explained that Clint insisted she used a natural method of birth control that ended up failing twice.
“Clint complained of the IUD – it was uncomfortable for him,” she wrote. Locke said the veteran actor did not favor birth control pills either while revealing they constantly monitored her for pregnancy checks.
Their relationship ended when Clint fathered two children behind her back with Reeves in the 1980s. She also lost her home, which Clint gifted her, and there was a lengthy legal battle where he even gave her an out-of-court payment.