I’m a Clint Eastwood fan, but I’m not one of those fans that believes he can do no wrong. It seems more and more people are coming around to the idea he’s been off his game as a director recently, but what about as an actor?
Eastwood’s last outing as an actor was in Gran Torino in 2008. At the time he was quoted saying, “That will probably do it for me as far as acting is concerned… You don’t want to be like a fighter who stays too long in the ring until you’re not performing at your best.” Well, it seems the 81-year-old has a little left in the tank.
EW is reporting Eastwood is in talks to star in the baseball drama Trouble With the Curve as a veteran scout who takes his daughter on the road with him. The screenplay was written by Randy Brown.
Even more interesting, Eastwood isn’t planning on directing the feature, which is currently slated to be helmed by his longtime producer, Robert Lorenz. Lorenz has served as a second unit director on several of Eastwood’s past projects, most recently Million Dollar Baby and Mystic River.
As for Eastwood, this would be the first time in 18 years he starred in a film he wasn’t also directing. The last time that happened was in a personal favorite of mine, 1993’s In the Line of Fire for Wolfgang Petersen.
As for why Eastwood is even considering a return to acting, you can thank Beyonce’s recently announced pregnancy, which, as speculated, will push Eastwood’s remake of A Star is Born, opening up Eastwood’s schedule.
As if you needed reminding, Eastwood’s latest project, J. Edgar, will hit theaters on November 9 after opening the Carmel Art and Film Festival on October 14 and the AFI Fest on November 3.
