Scott Eastwood

Scott Eastwood has one of the most recognizable names—and faces—in Hollywood. But that wasn’t always the case. Eastwood started his acting career in 2006 with the far less canonical stage name Scott Reeves. “Everyone—agents, managers—wanted me to go Eastwood, and I said no,” the 23-year-old actor explains. “I said, you want to represent me, you represent Scott Reeves.” Eastwood’s father, in case you missed it, is Clint Eastwood, and Scott grew up going between his mother’s place in Hawaii, and his father’s estate in Carmel, California. In college, he started out modeling, and then switched to acting, appearing in his father’s 2006 World War II film, Flags of Our Fathers. After roles in the indie movies An American Crime (2007) and Pride (2007), and a memorable cameo in his dad’s race-relations drama Grand Torino (2008), he finally made the giant leap back to his family name. “I think my dad always wanted me to,” says Eastwood of the decision. “I just wanted to prove to myself that I could carry on his name.” This year, the younger Eastwood stars in Carmel, opposite Lauren Bacall, a story about a guy sucked into art forgery; The Lion of Judah, an animated Christian film; and Shannon’s Rainbow, a family adventure about a girl and her horse. And he teams up with Eastwood senior again for Invictus, with Matt Damon and Morgan Freeman, the story of the first South African rugby team to win a world championship. So what is it like being directed by Dad? “He’s tougher on me,” Eastwood says. “He doesn’t want anyone to think he gives handouts. He’s the first to say, ‘If there’s someone better than you, I’m not going to hire you. You better come in being the best.’”

Photo above: Scott Eastwood in Venice, California, May 2009. Blazer: Nicolo Ceschi Berrini at Maxfield. Grooming products: Shu Uemura Art of Hair Design tools. Styling: Kris Zero/Frank Reps. Grooming: Tony Chavez/Frank Reps.