Clint Eastwood, 89, Puts Retirement Rumors to Rest: ‘It’s Nice to Be Able to Have a Paying Job’

It looks like we haven’t seen the last of Clint Eastwood yet. The Hollywood legend — who is set to turn 90 this May — set the record straight about any rumors about him retiring from showbiz anytime soon.

“I like doing it, it’s nice to be able to have a paying job,” Clint told This Morning on Monday, January 27. “I like being in films, I like making films and I started directing films because I thought, One day I’m going to look up on screen and say, ‘That’s enough Eastwood, you’d better do something else.’ So I thought, If I direct, I can let other people be on screen.”

Having amassed an astounding decades-long career, fans might be surprised to know the Oscar winner still keeps one special piece of memorabilia in pristine condition. We are, of course, talking about the iconic poncho he wore as The Man With No Name in Sergio Leone’s Spaghetti Western trilogy.

“I still have that, yeah… it’s sitting in a glass case,” the Rawhide star said of the garment worn in A Fistful of Dollars, For a Few Dollars More and The Good, the Bad and the Ugly. “Never been washed.”

As for how Clint is preparing to celebrate a milestone birthday, it turns out he’s not exactly thrilled to be blowing out the candles. In fact, if he had it his way he’d prefer to just let the day pass by.

“He probably won’t even want us to acknowledge it. He hates his birthday,” his daughter, Alison Eastwood, revealed exclusively to Closer Weekly. “I think ‘cause he’s 90. I think he just wants to work and enjoy his life but I don’t think he wants to celebrate it. He hates his birthday for some reason. We’ve all tried to get him into it but he won’t do it. So we’ll see.”

The one thing he does love, Alison, 47, explained in a separate interview with Closer, is being a grandfather. “It’s just a lot of fun,” she said of her dad. “I just think that he enjoys it now and I’m glad he’s settled down a bit.”