We spoke with actress Francesca Eastwood about her latest movie Running on Empty, a morbid romantic comedy that begs the question, “What if you knew the exact date of your death?” Francesca has been keeping busy with other projects as well, including a highly anticipated feature directed by her Oscar-winning father. Juror No. 2 is Clint Eastwood’s next film, featuring a wildly talented cast, and moviegoers have been wondering if this might be the 94-year-old’s final film.
“It’s really hard for me as his daughter to even think about that question because, you know, a lot of people on set [of Juror No. 2] are like, ‘Oh, it’s his final film! We had to be here!’ Like, a lot of the newbies, not the usual crew and stuff,” Francesca told MovieWeb. “It’s just hard for me to think like that. I don’t like to think like that, but I will say it’s a solid flick. It’s a solid movie. There’s great performances in it, and I’m a lucky son of a gun to be in it.”
Francesca continued regarding the film:
“I definitely cannot share anything about my character, but I can share with you that I am beside myself with excitement to be in that movie, and I’m really, really, really proud of my dad , and I’m really, really proud of myself. And that entire cast is really incredible, and it’s a special project, and I’m really excited for everyone to see that.”
Francesca Eastwood Also Played Her Younger Mother in Fargo
Francesca also had the chance to work with her mom, celebrated actress Frances Fisher, in an acclaimed episode of Fargo’s third season. The real-life mother and daughter were hired to play the same character but at different stages of her life. Says Francesca:
“It’s something I’m really, really proud of. That was one of those things that I auditioned for. I totally didn’t think I was gonna get it. I felt very lucky to have the part I had. I was very nervous, I was so painfully nervous, like, now looking back, I’m like, ‘Gosh, like, just be a little more confident!’ But I was in my early 20s or mid 20s, you know? So it was different.”
“But the greatest part about that was that, you know, my mom played the older me,” added Eastwood, “and when we watched it back, my mom goes, ‘Oh my gosh. We did all the same mannerisms and all the stuff without even talking about it!’ So that was kind of cool.”
Death & Purpose in Running on Empty
More recently, Francesca can be spotted stealing scenes in Running on Empty as Nicole, a cross between Legally Blonde and a femme fatale. She dumps lead character Mort (Keir Gilchrist) after learning via a futuristic test that his confirmed death date is less than a year off. It’s morbidly comical stuff, but it certainly didn’t cause Francesca to shy away from the project. “That’s what I liked most about it. I gravitate towards those type of kinda philosophical questions. And I like to think about life, and I like to think about death and our purpose and what we have to do with our time left,” she told us, adding:
“And I think about that stuff every night. So I absolutely loved that. Nicole is so unconcerned about that in the way that I am, that I thought that it would be a lot of fun to kind of play, you know, someone that just has their own agenda and that maybe just the lack of care, just the shamelessness that she has, I thought that’s what kind of drew me to the role.”
From Lionsgate, Running on Empty is now playing in theaters.