Clint Eastwood Denies Viral Austrian Interview As Phony

Clint Eastwood has firmly denied giving a recent interview to the Austrian newspaper Kurier, in which he was quoted criticizing Hollywood's reliance on remakes and franchises and reflecting on the film industry's loss of originality. The fabricated interview, which coincided with Eastwood's 95th birthday and included comments about his age and career philosophy, went viral internationally before Eastwood publicly refuted it, calling it "entirely phony." Kurier has acknowledged Eastwood's denial and is investigating the matter, while the suspicious nature of the article was noted due to odd phrasing and its limited prominence on Kurier's main site. Despite the interview's falsehood, it echoed some true facts, such as Eastwood's recent birthday and his recent projects, but Eastwood confirmed he had not spoken to the outlet or any writer recently. The incident highlights the challenges of verifying celebrity interviews in the digital age, especially when smaller foreign outlets publish content that quickly spreads online. Eastwood's last directorial film was "Juror #2," released in 2024, and his latest acting role was in "Cry Macho."