Clint Eastwood has officially called out a widely circulated interview as completely fake, and he’s not mincing words. The legendary actor and director, who recently turned 95, issued a blunt statement after an Austrian newspaper published what it claimed was an interview with the Hollywood icon. According to the great actor-turned-great director, the internet was duped by the “entirely phony” article.
According to Deadline, which initially aggregated the piece before learning it was fabricated, the interview appeared in the German-language Austrian outlet Kurier. In it, The Good, the Bad and the Ugly star was quoted as criticizing Hollywood's reliance on remakes and franchises, lamenting the loss of original storytelling in today’s industry. Although Kurier has a modest circulation of around 100,000, the story went viral online, amplified by outlets and fans eager to hear from the famously private star.
What Was in the Fake Interview
A fake article circulated over Eastwood’s birthday weekend, which added to its credibility. Although the Gran Torino actor has continued working in his 90s, the faux article portrayed him as someone who is somewhat reflective and disillusioned with today’s film industry. The piece had him reminiscing about the “good old days” of studio writing while taking shots at modern studios for their obsession with sequels and reboots. It even included some fabricated details about his personal life and his approach to directing some of his best movies.
The tone and content seemed plausible to casual readers, but red flags eventually emerged. Kurier hadn’t posted the article prominently on its main site, and the translation appeared oddly phrased, suggesting either bad reporting or outright fabrication. As the quotes spread, skepticism grew.
The outlet, for its part, has responded with a disclaimer, acknowledging the Richard Jewell director's denial and stating its editorial team is “investigating the matter,” though noting that time zone differences with the U.S. have delayed their internal response.
How Clint Eastwood Responded to the Fake Article
On Tuesday, Eastwood issued a brief but clear statement via his official representatives. The statement read:
A couple of items about me have recently shown up in the news. I thought I would set the record straight. I can confirm I’ve turned 95. I can also confirm that I never gave an interview to an Austrian publication called Kurier, or any other writer in recent weeks, and that the interview is entirely phony.
That’s about as direct as it gets. The Cry Macho filmmaker isn’t known for engaging with internet gossip, but this case was different. The speed and scale of how the fake interview spread, paired with the intimate nature of the fabricated quotes, left the actor little choice but to address it head-on.
The Fallout From the Article
Celebrity misinformation isn’t new, but Eastwood’s case is a standout example of how fast phony stories can spread — and how even reputable outlets can be fooled. That so many outlets ran with the quotes before confirming their legitimacy shows how quickly the digital news cycle can overtake verification processes.
So yes, the A Fistful of Dollars star did just turn 95. No, he didn’t slam Hollywood in a European tabloid. And if you see quotes floating around from that interview, you can seemingly file them under fiction.
Clint Eastwood's latest film, Juror No. 2, was released in 2024, and you can watch it with a Max subscription. There’s been a lot of talk that this might be his last movie, and if that’s true, it's not a bad way to wrap up a career. The legal thriller impressed both critics and audiences. We'll keep everyone updated if there’s any official word on his retirement.
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