Eastwood comes out of acting retirement

Clint Eastwood has admitted that he has struggled to give up acting, despite vowing to retire several years ago.

The screen veteran, who has shifted his focus to directing in recent years, said he recently completed an acting role as a war veteran in Gran Torino after directing upcoming Angelina Jolie drama Changeling.

Reuters quotes him as saying: "Since this picture was completed this year I have done another film in which I have performed, even though I said I wasn't going to do that anymore.

"I think I started saying that back a few years ago, I said 'I don't think I'll act anymore, I'll stay behind the camera' and then Million Dollar Baby came along and I liked that role. Now I've done Gran Torino."

Eastwood added that he enjoys directing movies because he is impressed with the high standard of young actors.

"It's a great thing, that's one of the reasons why, in my senior years I do this sort of thing, I stay behind the camera and let the young people out there jump and run," he explained.