Austrian daily under fire after Clint Eastwood slams 'phony' interview

Pallade Veneta - Austrian daily under fire after Clint Eastwood slams 'phony' interview

CULTURE 03.06.2025

Austrian daily under fire after Clint Eastwood slams 'phony' interview / Photo: VALERIE MACON - AFP

An Austrian newspaper came under fire Tuesday after Hollywood star Clint Eastwood said an alleged interview with him published by the paper to mark his 95th birthday was "entirely phoney".

Change text size:

The row was sparked by a purported interview with the Oscar-winning actor and director carried by the German-language Kurier newspaper Friday.

In the interview, which was picked up widely by American media over the weekend, Eastwood criticises a lack of fresh ideas in the current film industry as "we live in an era of remakes and franchises".

"I long for the good old days when screenwriters wrote films like 'Casablanca' in small bungalows on the studio lot. When everyone had a new idea," he was quoted as saying.

"My philosophy is, do something new or stay at home," it adds.

In a statement to Deadline magazine published Monday, Eastwood said "I thought I would set the record straight".

"I can confirm I've turned 95. I can also confirm that I never gave an interview to an Austrian publication called Kurier, or any other writer in recent weeks, and that the interview is entirely phony," he added.

Contacted by AFP, the editorial team of Vienna-based Kurier, which has a circulation of around 100,000, said it had "only heard about the accusation this morning".

It has since added a note to the interview published online, saying it is "currently investigating the matter, which will take some time due to the time difference with the United States".

M.Jacobucci--PV

Jersey Boys Anniversary Tour Opens in Birmingham With Gritty Account of Crime and Fame

The 20th-anniversary tour of Jersey Boys has opened at Birmingham’s Alexandra Theatre, offering a gritty and unvarnished look at the Four Seasons’ journey. The production details the band's turbulent rise from New Jersey petty criminals to international rock stars, highlighting the complex personal costs behind their musical success.

UBC professor describes police call after Galloway remark as act of care

VANCOUVER — A University of British Columbia professor has testified about a colleague’s decision to call police to visit Steven Galloway after he was accused of sexual assault, describing it as an “act of care” toward the author, who had spoken of killing himself. Galloway, who is suing his accuser and others in a defamation trial centred on the unproven allegations, has described his subsequent committal to a hospital in the United States as “terrifying.

Pallade Veneta - Austrian daily under fire after Clint Eastwood slams 'phony' interview