The Actress Who Refused Clint Eastwood Three Times
Tyne Daly famously turned down Clint Eastwood three times for a role in the Dirty Harry sequel The Enforcer, insisting on changes to her character before accepting.
When Clint Eastwood comes calling, most actors don’t even bother asking about the role. The bloke’s reputation is so solid that just being asked is enough for most to sign on the dotted line. Even Judi Dench, with her shelves full of awards, admitted she was over the moon when she finally got the call from Eastwood. He’s a legend, and it’s rare for anyone to knock him back, let alone more than once.
But Tyne Daly did just that. Back when casting was underway for the third Dirty Harry film, The Enforcer, Daly wasn’t exactly a household name. She’d mostly done guest spots on telly and a few small films, hardly the sort of background that would make you think she’d turn down the biggest star in the business. Yet, she did—three times, in fact.
Standing Her Ground
James Fargo’s 1976 sequel paired Harry Callahan with a new partner, Kate Moore. Daly was offered the part, but she wasn’t keen. She remembered Eastwood asking,
‘What are your objections?’
They got into a chat about the script, and Daly mentioned she’d spoken with real policewomen. She told him,
‘Let me confront one little bad guy.’
Even though she was still finding her feet in Hollywood, Daly didn’t want to play a flat character in a blokes’ action flick.
She later said,
‘Initially, I didn’t want to do it. I felt the part was limited and that, basically, she was a joke.’
That must have made an impression, because Eastwood came back a fourth time. Not many people have managed to do what Daly did—sit down with Eastwood, lay out their concerns, and actually get him to change the script.
Changing the Script
Daly explained that Eastwood
‘allowed me to influence her with what I considered to be, give her a point of view, a backbone.’
She found it impressive,
‘because he didn’t have to do that,’
and he could’ve just hired someone else who’d go along with it. As Daly put it,
‘He could have hired some much more compliant lady.’
It was almost unheard of in the mid-70s for an actor without a big name to turn down a star like Eastwood, let alone multiple times. But Daly stuck to her guns. She only agreed to take the part after her requests were met.
Backing Herself
Looking back, Daly’s decision paid off. She’s now got six Primetime Emmys, five Golden Globe nominations, and a Tony to her name. Clearly, she knew what she was on about. Her insistence on a stronger character not only changed the film, but also set her on a path to a celebrated career.