Tom Hanks imitating Clint Eastwood 'treating actors like horses' gets funnier with every watch

The biographical action-drama "Sully: Miracle on the Hudson," directed by Clint Eastwood, featured Tom Hanks (@tomhanks) as the central character. The 2016 movie was based on Chesley Sully Sullenberger's life and marked the maiden collaboration between the actor-director duo. Talking about his experience of working with the "Gran Torino" director, Hanks compared his guiding style to wrangling animals. During an appearance on Jimmy Kimmel's show, the "Forrest Gump" actor revealed that Eastwood "treats actors like horses." 

Hanks shared an interesting and hilarious insight about Eastwood's directing style that left everyone in stitches. The popular actor revealed, "Both Aaron (Eckhart) and I spoke about it, he (Clint Eastwood) treats actors like horses." When the host, Jimmy Kimmel, asked what he meant by that, Hanks smiled and explained how the director's calm, almost zen-like presence on set felt surreal. "The directors of other movies, they make a big deal about saying 'Action!' right? 'Alright, let's start it up, get ready, we are rolling,' that’s what most movies are... But Clint goes like this," Hanks said, mimicking Eastwood's signature understated hand gesture, "which means you’re rolling."

The "Catch Me If You Can" actor also described Eastwood's unique approach to retakes. Instead of shouting for a re-shoot, the "Million Dollar Baby" director would simply say, "Just take that again, just do it again," with a completely blank expression, as if it were the most natural thing in the world. What initially seemed like a serious critique, almost a jab at the director, turned into a hilarious moment when Hanks revealed the quirky reasoning behind his comparison. It was as if he acted out a scene straight from a comedy script, leaving the entire room in fits of laughter.

Hanks was so baffled by Eastwood's behavior on set that he decided to ask him about it. "'What's the deal, why did that come for?' and he said when he was doing 'Rawhide,' he had all these old movie directors who just love the megaphones and the attention. So he and all the other cast are on their horses and they are supposed to do something and the whole build-up to 'Action' would make the horse bolt," Hanks shared. The actor revealed that Eastwood once tried confronting one of these directors about the issue, but they ignored him because they enjoyed the process so much. "So there you go, what is it like working with Clint? He treats us like horses," Hanks concluded. The moment he delivered this revelation, the entire venue erupted into uncontrollable laughter, the giggles spreading quickly through the crowd. The story not only entertained the audience but also inspired a newfound appreciation for Eastwood's understated directorial style.

Hanks also brought up Eastwood's unique directing style during an appearance on "The Graham Norton Show." Notably, Eastwood and Hanks' movie, "Sully" highlighted the heroic actions of Captain Chesley "Sully" Sullenberger, a former commercial pilot who saved 155 passengers and crew in 2009 by making an emergency landing on the Hudson River after his plane struck a flock of birds. The biographical drama became a massive box-office success and ranked among the highest-grossing films of Hanks' career.