It turns out that even a seasoned tough guy like Clint Eastwood gets skittish around dinosaurs. In an interview with Uproxx, star of the adventure movie Jurassic Park, Laura Dern shared how she once took the legendary western actor around the set of the prehistoric classic. In the behind-the-scenes tour, Dern introduced Eastwood to the famous animatronic T-Rex – and yes, Clint was reportedly just as terrified as all moviegoers initially were.
In the family movie, Dern played the part of Ellie Sattler, and had to face off against several toothy dinos. However, that wasn’t the only ’90s movie she was working on at the time. In the same year as the first Jurassic Park movie‘s release, the actor was starring in A Perfect World with Clint Eastwood. When work on the two films overlapped, Dern decided to invite Eastwood to scope out the prehistoric franchise for himself.
“I’ve never told this story, but I’m just remembering it. I was so lucky,” Dern explained. “We were on the lot at Universal. We had been through a level five hurricane. They were juggling unbelievable crew coming together to rebuild sets now on the lot. And the dinosaur had a tough morning.”
“The T-Rex had slowed down a bit and needed some massaging if you will. And we were waiting, and I was going to finish the movie and work with Clint Eastwood. And Clint came to the set. We were going to have lunch at the commissary,” she continued.
“First of all, I am such a movie lover, so to be on the Universal lot, to go to the commissary to have lunch with Clint Eastwood is crazy. Pinch me! And then, because it broke, Steven [Spielberg] came and joined us, and Steven said to Clint, ‘Come back with us and see the T-Rex.'”
“Nobody had seen it. Nobody was allowed in. And this is one of my favourite moments remembering Clint. He is seeing this life-size beast. He was like, ‘That’ll scare the hell out of you!’ I was just like, ‘Oh my God, my life is so amazing.'”
It seems as if the T-Rex experience drove Eastwood away from cinematic dinosaurs, as the filmmaker and acclaimed director has stuck to working on thriller movies and neo-westerns. However, Dern isn’t ready to say goodbye to the terrifying fossils just yet.
Fans can see Dern reprise her role as Ellie in the newly released action movie, Jurassic World Dominion, which is out in cinemas now.