Clint Eastwood, a legendary actor and director, is known for his iconic roles in Hollywood.
However, a new biography, "Clint: The Man and The Movies," by filmmaker Shawn Levy, delves into the less publicized aspects of Eastwood's life, particularly his romantic entanglements and self-confessed "addictive" affairs during his first marriage to Maggie Johnson and subsequent relationships.
The biography quotes Eastwood's candid admission to Richard Schickel, "His affairs, he later admitted to Richard Schickel, just became I dont know addictive like you have to have another cigarette," as reported by Fox News. Eastwood's romantic escapades were not limited to his marriage with Johnson, which lasted from 1953 to 1974. The actor was known to have had numerous affairs with various women, resulting in multiple children.
Levy's book paints a vivid picture of Eastwood's lifestyle during his early Hollywood years, "There were many other women, some from the ranks of classmates, some encountered at the nightspots and jazz clubs that he frequented, some from among his neighbors at the apartment complex in Studio City, near Universal, to which he and Maggie had moved when he first went under contract to the studio." The environment of the small apartment complex, centered around a swimming pool, facilitated Eastwood's sexual adventures, with friends always ready to cover his tracks.
Eastwood, however, was not secretive about his behavior. According to Levy, he had an "understanding" with Johnson. Eastwood's friend is quoted in the book, "Clint goes where he wants, does what he wants goes to dinner with a girl if he wants. Maggie doesnt say a thing. Clint is the undisputed boss." Eastwood himself referred to his marriage as that of a "married bachelor," suggesting that Johnson was aware and accepting of his lifestyle.
Eastwood is quoted as saying, "'Maggie and I have an understanding,' he was quoted as saying. Im independent, a vagabond, and she accepts me as I am and doesnt strangle me with female possessiveness. Speaking more broadly, he declared, Maggie doesnt chain me. The worst thing is owning people. I dont want to be owned by anybody maybe shared, but not lock, stock, and barrel. Love is respecting privacy, accepting faults. But I dont believe its a one-way street. The sophisticated woman accepts that chances are a guys not being 100 percent faithful. If she talks about it, it only makes it worse."
Despite the openness of their relationship, it remains unclear whether Johnson was fully aware of the extent of Eastwood's affairs. Levy writes, "Their private life was another matter, as Maggie admitted some years later when she told an interviewer, Were not advocates of the total togetherness theory. Its not clear that she was aware of just how many liberties Clint took, or, for that matter, whether she availed herself of any."
Despite the tumultuous nature of their relationship, Eastwood and Johnson remained together for over two decades, with Johnson seemingly accepting of Eastwood's lifestyle. A friend of the couple is quoted in the book, "Shes got more steel than a hardware store. Clint talks to her about everything. And Clint himself admitted, She is the very best friend I have. She loved me when no one else did."
Eastwood and Johnson, who had two children together, divorced in 1984. During his marriage to Johnson, Eastwood fathered a daughter, Kimber Lynn, with stuntwoman Roxanne Tunis. He later married Dina Ruiz in 1996, and they divorced in 2014. Eastwood also had long-term relationships with actresses Sondra Locke and Frances Fisher. He is a father of eight children.
In 2023, Eastwood announced the death of his girlfriend of ten years, Christina Sandera. He expressed his grief in a statement to The Hollywood Reporter, "Christina was a lovely, caring woman, and I will miss her very much."
His daughter Morgan also mourned Sandera's loss, "A devastating loss for our whole family. Thank you Christina for being a good partner to my Dad. You will be missed." Sandera died of cardiac arrhythmia at the age of 61, as confirmed by the Monterey, California, County Department of Health.
Despite personal loss, Eastwood remains active in his professional life. In an interview with the Austrian newspaper Kurier, the director, who turned 95 in May, revealed he is in pre-production on a new movie, dispelling rumors that 2024's "Juror #2" would be his final film.
Eastwood confidently stated, "Theres no reason why a man cant get better with age. And I have much more experience today. Sure, there are directors who lose their touch at a certain age, but Im not one of them."
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