Clint Eastwood is one of Hollywood’s most enduring figures, known for his rugged looks, intense stare, and no-nonsense style that’s both admired and feared. Over the years, Eastwood has amassed countless fans and awards—but he’s also gathered a fair share of enemies in Hollywood. Whether it’s his controversial directing methods, his on-set demeanor, or his outspoken political views, here are ten stars who reportedly clashed with the “Man with No Name.”
1. Leonardo DiCaprio
Leonardo DiCaprio worked with Eastwood on J. Edgar in 2011, with DiCaprio taking on the lead role as J. Edgar Hoover. Despite his enthusiasm for the project, DiCaprio didn’t appreciate Eastwood’s “one-take” directing style. When Leo requested a retake, Eastwood reportedly wrapped the day without further discussion, leaving DiCaprio feeling unheard. Their interactions remained civil, but Leo walked away from a potential second collaboration, citing creative differences.
2. Armie Hammer
Armie Hammer, who also starred in J. Edgar, was equally perplexed by Eastwood’s filming style. Believing the first take was just a rehearsal, Hammer was caught off-guard when Eastwood announced he’d printed it. Hammer, holding his script the entire time, was floored by Eastwood’s blunt response: “I’ll edit the script out.” The experience left Hammer feeling frustrated by Eastwood’s casual approach to directing.
3. Tom Hanks
Tom Hanks, the beloved actor known for his charm, experienced a different side of Eastwood during the filming of Sully in 2016. Hanks mentioned that Eastwood’s cowboy-like attitude permeated the set, sometimes making for a tense environment. Hanks also admitted that Eastwood’s harsh glares left him uncomfortable, making their collaboration less than ideal.
4. John Wayne
Hollywood’s original cowboy, John Wayne, took issue with Eastwood’s more brooding, dark take on the Western genre. When Eastwood’s High Plains Drifter came out in 1973, Wayne felt the revisionist portrayal was overly violent. In response to a letter Eastwood sent suggesting they work together, Wayne replied with harsh words, refusing to collaborate. Wayne’s traditional view of Western heroes clashed with Eastwood’s lone-wolf antihero image.
5. Spike Lee
Director Spike Lee and Clint Eastwood clashed over Eastwood’s 2006 World War II films Flags of Our Fathers and Letters from Iwo Jima. Lee criticized the lack of diverse representation in these films, saying Eastwood ignored the reality of the soldiers involved. Eastwood fired back, telling Lee to “shut his face,” to which Lee retorted, calling Clint an “angry old man.” Despite the verbal feud, the two reportedly patched things up later.
6. Michael Moore
Documentary filmmaker Michael Moore publicly criticized Eastwood’s American Sniper, claiming it glorified snipers in a way he found distasteful, especially given his own family’s history with snipers. During an award ceremony, Eastwood allegedly threatened to shoot Moore if he ever showed up at his house. The comment was met with nervous laughter, but Eastwood didn’t break character, leaving a lasting chill between the two.
7. Flea
Red Hot Chili Peppers bassist Flea found himself disillusioned with Eastwood after the actor’s dismissive remarks about political correctness in Hollywood. Known for his outspoken views on various social issues, Eastwood’s stance didn’t sit well with Flea, who felt Clint’s views were outdated and out of touch with the industry’s evolving values.
8. Sondra Locke
Actress Sondra Locke shared both a professional and personal relationship with Eastwood, co-starring in several films during their years together. Their romance took a bitter turn when Eastwood locked her out of their home and later orchestrated a false film contract for her at Warner Brothers to keep her from working. After multiple lawsuits, Locke’s career was permanently impacted, and their relationship never recovered.
9. David Fincher
Renowned director David Fincher is known for his meticulous approach to filmmaking, requiring dozens of takes to achieve perfection—a style starkly at odds with Eastwood’s one-take policy. Additionally, after an equally meticulous approach to not just filming but researching for 2007’s Zodiac, Fincher slammed Eastwood’s Dirty Harry for capitalizing on the Zodiac killings for pure entertainment alone.
10. Gene Hackman
Gene Hackman famously was famously reluctant to join Unforgiven because of his staunch stance against gun violence. Eastwood had to do a lot fo convincing to get Hackman to go against his principles, and while this did represent a point of contention during a formative time in their partnership, Eastwood actually crossed the distance between them and assured Hackman he knew exactly where he was coming from. Eastwood also insisted they would film in such a way that was a condemnation against brutal violence.
Clint Eastwood’s no-nonsense persona has earned him both acclaim and criticism over his decades-long career. His refusal to compromise, combined with his traditional views, has occasionally put him at odds with his peers, but perhaps that’s also what’s kept him going for so long in Hollywood. Whether you agree with his methods or not, Eastwood’s influence and legacy are undeniable—though these stars might beg to differ.
