A meme has been circulating on Facebook claiming that the accomplished actor has returned his Oscars to the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences
Oscar-winning actor Clint Eastwood has not returned his many Academy Awards, despite what a viral Facebook meme claims.
The meme, circulating on social media, claims that Eastwood gave back the awards to the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences as he no longer wants to be “associated with any of the woke nonsense in Hollywood.”
The 93-year-old actor and filmmaker has not returned his statuettes to the Academy, PEOPLE can confirm.
The meme originated from the “The America’s Last Last of Defense” Facebook page, which posts a variety of satire and parody posts and clarifies that “nothing on this page is real.” Despite the disclaimer, the meme — posted Wednesday, May 15 — has 42,000 likes as of Thursday, May 16. The majority of commenters seem to be reacting to the meme as if the information is factually accurate.
A rep for Eastwood did not immediately respond to PEOPLE’s request for comment.
Eastwood won Best Picture and Best Director for 1993’s Unforgiven, then took home the same two awards for Million Dollar Baby in 2005. He was also awarded the Academy’s Irving G. Thalberg Award in 1994.
This is not the first time Eastwood’s name and identity have been used to trick internet users. Last month, representatives confirmed to PEOPLE that the Juror No. 2 actor does not have any official social media accounts after an account was made on X (formerly Twitter), claiming to be Eastwood.
Otherwise Eastwood has kept a low profile over the past several months, only making a rare appearance with Dr. Jane Goodall at the Reasons for Hope event presented by the Wildlife Conservation Network in Carmel-by-the-Sea, California.
According to the online description, all proceeds for the event went “support global youth environmental action through Jane Goodall’s Roots & Shoots program.”