FACT CHECK: Did Clint Eastwood Give His Academy Awards Back?

Joseph Casieri | Fact Check Reporter

A post shared on social media purports that actor and director Clint Eastwood returned his Academy Awards due to Hollywood being “morally bankrupt.”

Verdict: False

The claim stems from a satirical outlet.

Fact Check:

Prosecutors in New York City told a judge recently that they have been made aware of new accusations of sexual misconduct against Harvey Weinstein, who is at the Rikers Island complex, The Associated Press reported. Weinstein may face another indictment as he awaits a retrial.

A post shared on Facebook alleges that Eastwood gave his Oscar back, citing Hollywood’s political agenda. The post shared a photo of the act and a photo of several awards.

The caption reads, “Clint Eastwood Returns All Six of His Oscars: ‘Hollywood is Morally Bankrupt.'”

The claim is inaccurate. The claim stems from a satirical outlet called Esspots. The article’s headline reads, “Clint Eastwood Returns Oscar, Says ‘It’s Become Too Much Woke.'” (RELATED: No, Warner Bros. Did Not Cancel $10 Million Robert De Niro Project)

The website self-identifies as parody. The disclaimer reads, “Welcome to Esspots.com, a website that specializes in satire, parody, and humor. Before you proceed to read our content, we would like to emphasize that nothing on this website is real.”

Eastwood has spoken on “wokeness” before, suggesting that people should “get over” some of the comments that former President Donald Trump has made that have been deemed “racist,” according to The Guardian. The actor and director goes on to critique the political climate and societal views in the Esquire interview cited.

This is not the first time misinformation about an actor has been shared online. Check Your Fact debunked a claim that actress Candice King spoke on the Israel-Hamas war in a post.

Joseph Casieri

Fact Check Reporter

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