This actor accepted a staggering 90% pay cut for the chance to work with… Clint Eastwood.

News culture This actor accepted a staggering 90% pay cut for the chance to work with… Clint Eastwood.

An incredible career

Clint Eastwood is a true legend of cinema, best known for his notable career in the western genre. Born in 1930, he first stood out with his iconic role as “The Man With No Name” in Sergio Leone’s trilogy, notably For a handful of dollars (1964), which redefined the spaghetti western. With his impassive silhouette and his piercing gaze, Eastwood embodies the figure of the taciturn and implacable hero. His influence goes beyond the western: as a director, he has helmed acclaimed films like Ruthless (1992), which won the Academy Award for Best Picture and Best Direction.

More than a movie star, Eastwood is a figure who has redefined the image of the screen hero, with a career spanning several decades, marked by success both as an actor and as a as director. With such a pedigree, it’s normal that everyone wants to work with him, with some not hesitating to make sacrifices to achieve this goal.

A salary deduction for a mixed project

Even Leonardo DiCaprioa great actor known for his complex and demanding roles, is capable of making sacrifices to play alongside Clint Eastwood. It was during the filming of J. Edgar that the two men met. This 2011 biographical film traces the career of J. Edgar Hoover, Director of the FBI. Eastwood was the director, while DiCaprio got the lead role after Eastwood felt only he could portray this ambiguous character brilliantly. The problem, however, was that the project had difficulty gaining support from Warner Bros. Fortunately, Clint Eastwood did everything possible to negotiate the project.

The film was made under pressure from a limited budget, leading to delays and significant cuts, including for DiCaprio. He would have accepted a significant salary reduction, going from 20 to 2 million dollarsto participate in this exciting project. Eastwood and DiCaprio shared the vision of telling an important story, even if it meant financial and artistic sacrifice. “ He could have made a lot of money making blockbuster films with all kinds of special effects,” Eastwood said, the outlet reports Far Out. “But he wants to vary his career, as I have always sought to vary mine as a director. » Ultimately, thanks to these efforts, J. Edgar was released theatrically in 2011, although critical reception was rather mixed.