Clint Eastwood’s Pick For Best Actor To Work With Isn’t A Typical Western Star

Sergio Leone’s Dollars Trilogy rocketed Clint Eastwood into national regard and he became widely credited with leading the charge of a new kind of Western. But in his very long career of actually directing films, Eastwood names not a fellow Western movie regular, but Angelina Jolie as the best actor he’s worked with.

After gradually getting a foot in the industry door in the ‘50s, Eastwood went on to serve as a actor, director, producer, and composer. He has worked in varying capacities in an estimated 60 films—at least. His work in these various areas earned him numerous accolades, but according to him, Jolie deserves a special shoutout for 2008’s Changeling.

Clint Eastwood named Angelina Jolie as the best actor to work with

Changeling marked the first time Eastwood crossed paths with Jolie in earnest. She immediately made a strong impression on him, enough so that he would remember her work ethic long after the cameras stopped rolling.

In fact, according to Pop Entertainment, he regarded Jolie as “the most prepared actress — or certainly as prepared — as any actress I’ve ever worked with.”

“I didn’t know Angelina very well before doing this,” mused Eastwood. “I had met her on a few occasions, but I always thought of her as a very interesting actress, a very good actress.”

Clint Eastwood was pleasantly surprised by Angelina Jolie

Eastwood has seen what countless actors bring to the table, either exclusively in the role their assigned or in the way they conduct themselves on set with their fellow cast and crew. Growing up, his favorite actor was James Cagney. Although Eastwood came to represent a morally gray kind of Western that John Wayne found irredeemable—to the point that the two actors became regarded as rivals—Eastwood thought the Duke was quite brilliant in The Searchers.

He’s seen genuine talent and he’s seen shallow personalities alike. So, he might have had some preconceptions when thinking about Angelina Jolie, all of which he dismissed after working with her.

“A lot of people get on the cover of magazines and it doesn’t necessarily mean they’re talented,” explained Eastwood, “but in her case, she is really talented.

Recounting her approach to inhabiting her character, Eastwood shared, “She came in with the material in her mind, with an attack on the character, was very amenable, and you could shoot almost immediately, which was something I like to do. I like to catch somebody before they have a chance to think about it too much; like they haven’t spoken the words so many times that it’s flat.”