“I Don't Get the Humor”. Clint Eastwood Refused to Star in One of the Most Legendary Action Sagas
Clint Eastwood had a chance to play the lead role in the cult action film, but turned it down because the humor didn't appeal to him. Interestingly, he himself had previously been interested in producing a screen adaptation of the same book on which that action movie was based.
Although it is difficult to imagine someone other than Bruce Willis in the role of John McClane, the actor was not the first choice of the makers of Die Hard, who considered other movie stars for the lead role. This included Richard Gere, who, despite being offered big money, was not interested in the role and turned it down.
Interestingly, Willis was not one of the filmmakers' next choices. Rather, he was their last option, as before him McClane was also offered to Clint Eastwood. But the western star also ultimately did not accept it. His decision had a lot to do with the fact that the humor of the production did not appeal to him.
Screenwriter Jeb Stuart talked about how they tried to cast Eastwood and his rejection of the role during an interview for SlashFilm.
They went to Clint Eastwood first. Ironically, his response to the producers was, “I don't get the humor”. Which, for me, was a shock because if you listen to a lot of those words, Eastwood's one of the few people who could have delivered a line like “Come to LA, have a great time”. All that kind of stuff. You could see him doing that. He was my inspiration.
Unfortunately, although Eastwood served as an inspiration for the screenwriter of Die Hard, it was not possible to cast him in the lead role. And while Willis turned out to be the perfect choice for it, it must be said that Eastwood was an interesting option. Especially since the protagonist of the book on which Die Hard is based was older than the film's McClane, so Eastwood would have fit in perfectly.
In addition, Eastwood in the early 1980s owned the screen rights to Nothing Lasts Forever, on which Die Hard was based, however, he failed to make the project. And although he was nevertheless given the chance to play the hero of the story in Die Hard, he did not take it.
