Clint Eastwood Dishes on His Favorite Golden Age Actor—And It’s a Major Surprise

Clint Eastwood, a towering figure in Hollywood whose career spans the transformation from Old Hollywood to New Hollywood, has often been celebrated for his rugged characters and moral complexity. From his iconic role as the Man with No Name in Sergio Leone’s Dollars Trilogy to his career as both an actor and a director, Eastwood’s legacy is firmly rooted in the cinematic changes of the 1960s and 1970s. But while Eastwood’s own work is synonymous with tough, anti-hero characters, he has long held a deep respect for the actors who preceded him in Hollywood’s Golden Age.

In a 2011 interview with the American Film Institute, Eastwood opened up about his admiration for one actor in particular, a choice that might surprise many: the legendary James Stewart. While Eastwood himself was often compared to contemporaries like Paul Newman and Robert Mitchum, it was Stewart, known for his quintessential “American” characters, who Eastwood lauded as the greatest actor of Hollywood’s Golden Age.

James Stewart’s Surprising Darkness

James Stewart is often thought of as the epitome of the decent American male. With beloved roles in films like It’s a Wonderful Life, Mr. Smith Goes to Washington, and Harvey, Stewart portrayed characters imbued with gentleness, integrity, and sincerity. However, Eastwood’s take on Stewart’s acting was far from the typical image of the actor. While many associate Stewart with affable, earnest roles, Eastwood saw something deeper in his performances.

In the interview, Eastwood praised Stewart’s unique ability to tap into a quiet, simmering anger, particularly in his more intense roles. “This great touch with his own anger when he did an anger scene… You felt that he could be capable of a tremendous meanness if necessary,” Eastwood said. This complexity was something Eastwood found especially striking in Stewart’s work during his later years, when Stewart began to take on roles with more grit and darker undertones.

The Rebirth of Stewart in Westerns

Stewart’s career took a notable turn in the 1950s, particularly with his collaboration with director Anthony Mann in a series of westerns, including Winchester ’73, Bend of the River, The Naked Spur, and The Far Country. This period marked a redefinition of Stewart’s screen persona, showcasing a more hardened and morally ambiguous character compared to his earlier, more wholesome roles.

According to Eastwood, Stewart’s capacity for transforming into a reluctant, yet fierce protagonist was what made him stand out. He explained, “He was always the reticent protagonist who’d come along, and he’d all of a sudden… when crossed and when wronged, he would step forth and really let loose.” It was this ability to hold back his anger, only to explode when pushed too far, that Eastwood admired deeply in Stewart’s performances.

Stewart vs. Hollywood Tough Guys

Eastwood, known for his own portrayal of tough, stoic characters, went on to compare Stewart’s talent for restraint and eruption to that of some of Hollywood’s other iconic tough guys, like John Wayne, Gary Cooper, Humphrey Bogart, and James Cagney. While Wayne and Cooper were often known for playing strong, straightforward heroes, and Cagney had a volatile, high-energy intensity in every scene, Stewart’s unpredictability was subtler. “I think he did that almost better than any of his contemporaries of that day – Wayne and Cooper and some of the others,” Eastwood said.

For Eastwood, Stewart’s serene, almost calm demeanor, which only gave way to explosive moments of anger, made him stand apart from other leading men of his time. It was this unpredictability, Eastwood believed, that made Stewart an actor of unparalleled depth and one who could elevate any film he was in.

Eastwood’s Deep Respect for Stewart

Eastwood’s praise for Stewart isn’t just about comparing acting styles or performances; it reflects a deep respect for the emotional complexity Stewart brought to his characters, something Eastwood himself has often strived for in his own work. Stewart’s nuanced approach to his characters—particularly those who were both virtuous and capable of great intensity—resonated with Eastwood, who also gravitated toward characters with moral ambiguity and depth.

Stewart’s legacy, for Eastwood, isn’t just about being a beloved figure in Hollywood’s Golden Age. It’s about his ability to bring out a darkness hidden beneath a surface of charm and decency, a skill that made Stewart’s performances timeless. And for Eastwood, this level of emotional complexity places Stewart above even the legendary tough guys of his own era.

In many ways, Clint Eastwood’s admiration for James Stewart reflects the qualities that have come to define Eastwood’s own acting and directing style: restraint, depth, and an ability to tap into the complexities of character in ways that resonate with audiences long after the final frame. While both actors may have come from different eras of Hollywood, their shared ability to portray flawed, multi-dimensional characters ensures that their legacies will continue to endure.