Movies - TV
Clint Eastwood Only Considers Himself A 'Fan' Of One Specific Actor
By JEREMY SMITH
Clint Eastwood rose to stardom in the 1960s by employing a minimalist style of acting as Sergio Leone's Man with No Name in the “Dollars Trilogy.” However, even though Eastwood knew the roles he was best suited for and never took on broad characters, moviegoers might be surprised to know that Eastwood is a fan of one specific actor who was not known for his restraint.
In an interview with Patrick McGilligan, Eastwood acknowledged that while he liked John Wayne as a young man, his favorite actor was James Cagney. Cagney was an actor whose rat-a-tat delivery synced up perfectly with the lead sputter of the Tommy Guns his characters often brandished.
Eastwood loved Cagney, especially his early movies, and was aware this was an unexpected choice. He said, "He isn't at all like me. When I first started out as an actor, all the secretaries used to call me Coop, because they thought I resembled Gary Cooper, kind of a backward kid — quite a few years ago. But Cagney ... I always liked Cagney's style and energy. He was fearless.”