Clint Eastwood biography, age, net worth, son, children, wife, awards, height 2025

Clint Eastwood Biography

Clint Eastwood, the world-famous American actor, is a true Renaissance man of cinema: while spending years as the undisputed icon of the Western genre, he's evolved into a brilliant director, savvy producer, screenwriter, and even composer (he's written music for six of his films).

His trophy case overflows with the most prestigious awards in the business, including the National Medal of Arts, a César Award, and four Academy Awards.

Childhood and Family

Clint Eastwood Jr. was born on May 31, 1930, in America's biggest city – San Francisco, California – into an ordinary working-class family. Clint Eastwood Sr., the future movie star's father, worked at a steel mill; his mother, Margaret Ruth Eastwood, held an engineering position at the same plant.

Clint Eastwood as a child (pictured right with his father)

The boy came into the world as a giant, weighing over eleven pounds, which earned him the nickname "Samson" from the hospital staff.

The boy's parents were deeply religious people, though they belonged to different denominations (his mother was Mormon while his father was Presbyterian), and they tried to raise Clint and his younger sister Jean – four years his junior – as virtuous Christians.

The boy's early years coincided with the Great Depression, which hit industrial cities particularly hard. So Clint's parents frequently moved around, trying to find steady work. The family patriarch worked as a salesman, then tried his hand at being a detective in San Francisco, and then the family wandered along the East Coast with Clint Sr. taking any job he could find. Finally, in 1940, the Eastwoods settled in the city of Piedmont, which they didn't leave until after Clint came of age.

It's worth noting that Clint often mentions the Great Depression period in interviews, hinting that his family also suffered greatly during those years. However, actress Sondra Locke, who appeared in many films with Eastwood and was considered his common-law wife for 14 years, claimed that (at least by the time they reached Piedmont) Clint's family was considered well-off: they lived in a respectable neighborhood, in a big house with a pool, family members belonged to a country club, and everyone had their own car.

In school, Clint was frankly a weak student who often had to repeat summer classes. Teachers noted his musical abilities and good physical attributes, especially his talent for basketball. But Eastwood ignored all invitations to join the school orchestra and sports teams. In his own words, at that time he was only interested in "fast cars and beautiful women." Well, and tennis and golf, but he played those for his own pleasure, not planning to participate in school competitions.

Clint Eastwood's passion during his school years was cars

Due to poor grades, he was held back for six months in middle school, and in January 1946 transferred to a technical high school in Oakland. There was a pretty strong drama club there, and teachers tried to recruit the tall young man, but he was interested in something else – the auto mechanics club, where he could learn to assemble engines and even repair airplanes. School friends recalled that Clint, though embarrassed about it, loved playing piano and "played until he wore his fingers bloody."

Technically, he should have graduated in January 1949 (since he came to the new school mid-year), but nobody knows whether he actually graduated or not, since school records from those years are classified. At least his childhood friends convinced journalists that Clint "simply didn't finish high school because he preferred to spend his time in more interesting ways."

Military Service

Before getting drafted, the young man lived with his school buddy Harry Pendelton and led an active nightlife. One day, he got invited to a Malibu party where he met director Howard Hawks. This name, alongside director John Ford, would later become associated with the career breakthrough of the world's western star.

But it was too early to talk about a movie career just yet. Soon Clint returned to his parents' home (by then the Eastwoods had moved to Seattle, on the west coast), got a job at the pulp mill where his father worked, then got his Red Cross license and worked as a lifeguard, playing piano at a bar in the evenings.

In 1951, he joined the U.S. Air Force. While earning $67 a month in the military, he worked evenings as a dock loader to make extra cash. Near the base was a quiet town called Carmel. When Clint first visited there, he knew – this was where he wanted to live someday.

In his youth Clint Eastwood worked as a lifeguard on the beach

Once, Eastwood came within a hair's breadth of death. He'd gotten leave to visit his parents and girlfriend in Seattle. He was flown there and back on a Douglas AD-1Q attack aircraft. At altitude, the cabin lost pressure and the navigation system failed. The pilot managed to ditch the plane in the ocean about three miles off Point Reyes. Nobody was hurt – both men swam to shore.

I thought I was probably going to die here. But then I realized that a lot of people had been through this before me. I stared at the lights on the coast that seemed so far away, and I swam.

His closest army buddies were Richard Long, Martin Milner, and David Janssen, who later became famous TV actors.

First Steps to Success

After his discharge in 1952, Clint returned to Seattle and worked as a beach lifeguard for a while, but the job didn't pay well. Plus, Seattle had family but no friends, so the young man set off to conquer Los Angeles.

He rented a small apartment in a Beverly Hills house and worked days as the building manager, then pulled night shifts at a nuclear power plant. Through connections, Clint met Universal cinematographer Irving Glassberg, who was surprised to discover what this good-looking young man did for work. The cinematographer set up a meeting between Clint and director Arthur Lubin – right at the gas station where Eastwood was working.

In 1952, an aspiring actor came to conquer Hollywood

The director's first impression wasn't exactly glowing: "Clint was a novice. He didn't know which way to turn his head or how to behave in front of the camera." But he still recommended acting classes, and in April 1954, offered him his first Universal contract – $100 a week (other sources say $75). Many of Clint's close friends, including his wife, were wary of Lubin's patronage since Arthur was homosexual.

After signing the contract, Clint had to attend a kind of "audition" where all the studio's important executives were present. The young actor had to recite lines from Alan Squires in the 1936 film "The Petrified Forest" and strip naked in front of the assembled group during one scene. He didn't make a great impression.

"Looks like a typical country bumpkin: skinny, rural, with a protruding Adam's apple, very taciturn and slow," said one of the talent scouts.

The actor appeared in minor roles in low-budget films – "Revenge of the Creature" (1955), "Francis in the Navy" (1955), "Tarantula" (1955), "Away All Boats" (1956). He didn't even dream of bigger parts since he understood he lacked the creative imagination for on-camera improvisation. But everyone noted that Eastwood had an excellent sense of humor and could charm any woman. Unfortunately, in those early days, he lacked the talent to transfer these qualities to his film characters.

But his Universal salary was enough for him and his wife to move closer to the studio – into an apartment building where other aspiring Hollywood actors lived. The place was small, but there was a pool in the courtyard, and Clint enjoyed practicing his swimming.

Clint Eastwood at the dawn of his career

He started taking lessons from acting coaches Jack Kosslyn and Jess Kimmel, and also worked with a speech therapist – early in his career, Eastwood had a strange accent, speaking in a hissing whisper. Working on this flaw, he managed to mostly eliminate it, though not completely. However, Clint turned this defect into a distinctive feature when working on his role as the Man with No Name in Sergio Leone's "Dollars Trilogy."

Gradually, he started getting noticed, which led to invitations for small but leading roles – Jack Rice in the western comedy "The First Traveling Saleslady" (1956), Keith Williams in "Ambush at Cimarron Pass" (1958). However, such successes were so rare that the young man was already losing hope for a successful career in the profession.

A shot from the movie "Ambush at Cimarron Pass"

During this period, Clint decided to visit a friend and dropped by the CBS television studio. In the hallway, he accidentally bumped into one of the directors who desperately needed a rugged actor to play Rowdy Yates in the Western TV series "Rawhide" (1959-1966).

Clint Eastwood in the TV series "Rawhide"

Western Star and Director

Clint Eastwood's electrifying performance in "Rawhide" caught the attention of legendary Italian filmmaker Sergio Leone, one of the creators of the "spaghetti western" genre. In 1964, the cult director invited Clint to star in his "Man with No Name" trilogy – playing cowboy Joe in the first film with the intriguing title "A Fistful of Dollars."

Clint Eastwood as cowboy Joe in the movie A Fistful of Dollars

The $200,000 budget turned into $14 million in profits – and the little-known Eastwood instantly became a box office draw. The hit film's theatrical run in Europe and America created massive buzz, so sequels quickly followed – "For a Few Dollars More" (1965) and "The Good, the Bad and the Ugly" (1966).

For a Few Dollars More. Main Theme

Clint Eastwood had finally achieved recognition for his talent. In 1966, he received several tempting offers to star in Hollywood westerns.

For years to come, Clint's signature character – a taciturn guy with a dark squint and a loaded Colt in his hand – became his most sought-after role, and westerns starring the actor were considered classic examples of the genre.

Clint Eastwood's second legendary role was the hero of the "Dirty Harry" film series (1971-1988). The image of tough cop Harry Callahan, who ruthlessly takes down criminals without strictly following the letter of the law, defined the concept of this type of film for years to come.

Dirty Harry Do You Feel Lucky Punk?

In 1971, the actor successfully debuted as a director, presenting the thriller "Play Misty for Me" to audiences. A new phase of Clint Eastwood's career began – the period of his greatest creative activity. He had to balance active directing duties on his own films ("Firefox" (1981), "Sudden Impact" (1983), "Pale Rider" (1985)) with intensive acting work in movies by other directors.

Clint Eastwood in the thriller Play Misty for Me

From the huge number of excellent Eastwood films, fans particularly highlight "Escape from Alcatraz" (1979) – the pinnacle of the creative partnership between Clint and director Don Siegel. Eastwood created a compelling portrayal of prisoner Frank Morris, who managed to execute a fantastic escape plan from the legendarily impregnable prison thanks to his high intelligence and unstoppable drive for freedom.

By the late '80s, Clint Eastwood could rightfully take pride in his considerable achievements. Critics called him a brilliant director. The biographical film "Bird" (1988), which showed jazz musician Charlie Parker's life up close, won an Academy Award (for Best Sound), and the actor himself received a Golden Globe for Best Director.

In 1991, Eastwood felt ready to tackle the most important project of his life – the film "Unforgiven" (released in 1992). The actor simultaneously played William Munny and directed the picture. This was Eastwood's true triumph: along with massive box office success, the film helped its creator win four Oscars.

Clint Eastwood at the Academy Awards ceremony (1993)

The actor/director's ventures into comedy proved successful too, with the incredible popularity of Space Cowboys (2000) confirming his versatility. Eastwood's wins also include the thriller Mystic River (2003): Clint scored both an Oscar and Golden Globe for Best Director, while Sean Penn, who starred in the film, took home an Oscar for his powerhouse lead performance.

Clint Eastwood and Sean Penn on the set of the thriller Mystic River

Soon enough, Clint Eastwood was collecting gold statues again: 2004's blockbuster Million Dollar Baby won Best Picture, with Clint taking Best Director. The Oscar love spread to actress Hilary Swank (for her lead role) and Eastwood's close friend Morgan Freeman (for supporting actor).

Clint Eastwood receives Oscar for Million Dollar Baby (2005)

Age started catching up, so the action star basically stopped appearing in other directors' projects. His last acting gig "for hire" was playing Gus Lobel in Trouble with the Curve (2012), which Clint also produced.

Clint Eastwood on the set of Letters from Iwo Jima

Despite his advanced age, Clint kept creating masterpieces with his signature energy. His remarkable recent works include the historical film Letters from Iwo Jima (2006), which earned Clint both Oscar and Golden Globe awards; the thriller Changeling (2008), starring Angelina Jolie; and the supernatural horror film Hereafter (2010).

Clint Eastwood and Angelina Jolie on the set of the thriller Changeling

Many viewers consider Gran Torino one of Clint Eastwood's favorite films, though it was unfairly overlooked by awards. The story centers on a Korean War veteran (played by Eastwood himself, naturally) who's lonely and bitter. His only joy in life is a Gran Torino car he once built at a Ford plant. Through this car, he meets a kid from a troubled family, and this unlikely friendship changes both of them forever.

Audiences warmly embraced two biographical dramas from director Eastwood – Invictus (2009), about South African President Nelson Mandela (with Morgan Freeman in the lead), and J. Edgar (2012), telling the story of the first FBI Director J. Edgar Hoover, played by Leonardo DiCaprio.

Eastwood's masterfully directed drama American Sniper (2014) explored the mental state of a man who killed countless people in Iraq.

In 2016, Eastwood directed Sully, starring top-tier performers Tom Hanks, Anna Gunn, and Aaron Eckhart.

Clint Eastwood and Aaron Eckhart on the set of Sully

In 2018, he delivered The 15:17 to Paris featuring the incomparable Spencer Stone, Anthony Sadler, and Alek Skarlatos, and the drama The Mule, where Eastwood plays an elderly hustler who decides to make a living smuggling drugs.

THE 1517 TO PARIS - Go Behind the Scenes with Clint Eastwood

2019 brought his new film Richard Jewell starring Paul Walter Hauser and Sam Rockwell in the lead roles. The story centers on a security guard who defused a bomb at the Olympics and found himself under intense scrutiny from law enforcement because of it.

A shot from the film Richard Jewell (2019)

In October 2020, Eastwood announced his intention to make Cry Macho (and star in the lead role), a project he'd been considering since 1988 but felt he was too young for back then. The film tells the story of a former rodeo star in the late '70s who takes on the job of bringing a boy from Mexico to his father in the United States.

Filming took place from November to December 2020, when the pandemic forced many filmmakers to shut down production – but not Eastwood.

Clint Eastwood and Eduardo Minett stand next to a pickup truck against a sunny street backdrop — A shot from the film Cry Macho

On September 17, 2021, Cry Macho hit U.S. theaters. For the first time in 29 years, since Unforgiven, audiences saw Eastwood back on horseback. The director admitted that the wrangler was worried about the 91-year-old actor, but he handled it beautifully. The film received mixed reviews from critics, but for fans it was a touching return to form.

In April 2023, when Eastwood had already turned 93, reports surfaced that he would direct and produce Juror #2 from a screenplay by Jonathan Abrams. The film stars Nicholas Hoult, Toni Collette, and J.K. Simmons in the lead roles.

Nicholas Hoult and Clint Eastwood in casual clothes sitting on a concrete barrier and talking with a forest backdrop — Nicholas Hoult and Clint Eastwood

Filming began in June 2023 in Savannah, Georgia, and Los Angeles, but hit a snag that summer – production was halted due to the writers' strike. Work didn't resume until November. During filming, according to one of the actors, there were at least three days when the crew showed up on set only to hear "We're not shooting today" due to Eastwood's health issues.

In fall 2024, Juror #2 was completed and received its world premiere at the AFI Film Festival on October 27. The film hit American theaters on November 1, but Warner Bros. gave it an extremely limited release – fewer than 50 theaters, which many saw as disrespectful to the cinema legend.

Clint Eastwood's Personal Life

Tall, athletic, and blessed with a great sense of humor, this guy was turning heads long before he became a legendary actor. And he certainly wasn't shy about returning the attention. The press constantly labeled him a "womanizer" – and for good reason. Clint Eastwood has 8 children with 6 different women.

The actor has always been known for his love of the female sex

In 1953, fresh out of the army, Clint met Maggie Johnson on a blind date. She was working as a secretary at an auto parts dealership in Los Angeles.

That same summer, another woman got pregnant by Eastwood – someone he'd met in Seattle while visiting his parents. She decided to keep the baby but gave the girl up for adoption. In 2018, at the premiere of "The Mule," Clint finally met his daughter, 64-year-old Laurie Murray.

Clint Eastwood and his eldest daughter Laurie

But it was Maggie who became his life partner. In December 1953, just months after meeting, they tied the knot. The marriage wasn't exactly blissful. Both were too young and hadn't really figured themselves out yet. Clint had no intention of staying faithful and would start affairs with practically every actress who shared scenes with him.

During the second season of "Rawhide," Eastwood fell for dancer and stuntwoman Roxanne Tunis. Their on-and-off relationship lasted 14 years. In 1964, she gave birth to his daughter Kimber – his first officially recognized child (though they kept his paternity under wraps until the late '80s).

Clint Eastwood and Roxanne Tunis on the set of 'Rawhide'

Maggie knew about Kimber and even met Roxanne face-to-face, showing up uninvited on set. Eastwood's colleagues described what he and Maggie had as something like an "open marriage." The actor himself told a journalist in 1971: "We don't believe in togetherness."

During the '70s, Clint Eastwood had affairs with: California swimming champion Anita Lhoest, restaurant critic Gael Greene, French model Cathy Reghin, co-stars Inger Stevens, Jean Seberg, and Jo Ann Harris, actresses Jill Banner, Catherine Deneuve, Susan Saint James, and singer Keely Smith. And those are just the women the press found out about.

Clint's marriage to Maggie brought two kids into the world – son Kyle (born 1968, now a jazz musician) and daughter Alison (born 1972, who became a director, producer, and fashion designer). The same year Alison was born, Clint met actress Sondra Locke at Universal Studios.

Clint Eastwood with his children on the set of the TV series Star Trek

Soon they were living together and starring in "The Outlaw Josey Wales." He was still married but told Sondra there were no feelings left between him and Maggie. Locke was also married – to Gordon Adams, a well-known gay sculptor who used her as a "beard."

Locke was considered the actor's common-law wife for the next 14 years. Clint dedicated a song to her with the lyrics: "She made me monogamous" and admitted he'd never been faithful to any woman before, but now he was truly in love and things would be different.

Eastwood and Locke in the film The Gauntlet

The couple moved out of Eastwood's house because Locke felt uncomfortable in a home where everything reminded her of Maggie. These two women never met, but Clint's legal wife never hid her dislike for her rival and set strict rules about how her husband could interact with their children. Sondra and Clint never had kids together – in the late '70s, she had to have two abortions for medical reasons and then underwent sterilization for the same cause.

It wasn't until 1984 that Clint officially filed for divorce from Maggie, paying her $25 million in the settlement. Locke, by the way, never divorced her legal husband. Clint maintained good relations with Gordon and even bought him and his partner a separate house.

For the first eight years, Eastwood kept his promise and stayed faithful, but after that, he started cheating again. Sondra suffered but accepted it:

I really believe that Clint loved me as much as he's capable of loving, and for the first 8 or so years he really wanted to be the person I saw in him. He tried very hard, but... you can't fight nature.

When Eastwood decided to leave Sondra, she took him to court, accusing her former partner of ruining her life by forcing her to have two abortions and undergo tubal ligation. The court sided with her, ordering Eastwood to pay Locke several tens of millions of dollars.

The breakup with Sondra Locke cost Clint Eastwood dearly

After getting the money, Sondra published a memoir with such intimate revelations that Eastwood didn't hesitate to spend big bucks buying up all the rights to her book.

The actor then spent three years living with flight attendant Jacelyn Reeves. When he left her, he abandoned his former flame with two kids – son Scott (1986) and daughter Kathryn (1988). In revenge, she called him the cruelest and most evil person in the press.

However, this experience didn't teach the incorrigible "serial ladies' man" anything – that's the nickname that stuck to the legendary cowboy in Hollywood. In the early '90s, Clint fell in love again: this time with actress Frances Fisher. They had a daughter, Francesca (1993), but even having a child couldn't keep the couple together – they split in 1995.

Soon after, Clint Eastwood began a romantic relationship with TV host Dina Ruiz. Despite being 35 years younger than the actor, he officially married her in 1996. This marriage brought another daughter into Clint's life – Morgan (1996).

In 2013, Dina filed for divorce, claiming Clint had been unfaithful. Right after the divorce, the romantically inclined Eastwood dated actress Erica Fisher. Then his new girlfriend became Christina Sandera, a waitress from Mission Ranch Hotel who was 33 years younger than Clint.

Clint Eastwood and Christina Sandera pose on the red carpet — Clint Eastwood and Christina Sandera

They lived happily together for the next ten years. Summer 2024 brought Eastwood a devastating loss. On July 18, Christina Sandera died of a heart attack. "Christina was a lovely, caring woman, and I will miss her very much," Eastwood said.

By late summer 2024, according to journalists, Eastwood had already started a new relationship with an unidentified woman. He was spotted with his new companion at the same Mission Ranch hotel where he once met Christina.

His son Scott Eastwood followed in his father's footsteps and became an actor. Even in the early stages of his career, the young man didn't rely on his father's influence, so landing the lead role in the sequel Pacific Rim: Uprising was his own achievement.

Beyond filmmaking, Eastwood is also involved in business: in Carmel, where he served as mayor for two years, he owns a golf club, hotel, and restaurant that bring in solid income.

Clint Eastwood Now

In May 2025, just before his 95th birthday, Eastwood dismissed rumors about ending his career. In an interview with Austrian newspaper Kurier, he announced he's in pre-production on a new film. "There's no reason why a person can't get better with age," he explained. "And I have much more experience today. Sure, there are directors who lose their touch at a certain age, but I'm not one of them."

Clint Eastwood: latest news and articles

Kathryn White

Really cool true actor, he is already 90 years old and he still on top.

2021-04-24 09:53:21
Devin Diego Moore

He played very cool in Gran Torino, it is a powerful movie.

2021-04-16 23:57:22
Maxine Cole

The Good, the Bad and the Ugly and that is all that I say, everybody needs to watch. Oldfages here.

2021-04-16 18:56:06
Cindy Dixon

Clint Eastwood is a legend. It`s cool that he still acting in the movies

2021-04-11 20:35:01
Curtis Torres

When I`m asking somebody about Eastwood - nobody knows him. But I like how he play in the movies, he is showing the spirit of the movie and the message.

2021-02-26 17:54:50

Clint Eastwood

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