Clint Eastwood is one of the most prominent figures in the film industry, renowned for his roles in Spaghetti Westerns, particularly his portrayal of Harry Callahan in the Dirty Harry series. He has also made a name for himself as a director, with his 1992 Western, "Unforgiven," earning him Best Director and Best Picture awards.
Eastwood's illustrious career has garnered him numerous accolades, including four Golden Globes, four Academy Awards, three César Awards, and more.
It's not uncommon for family members to follow in their famous relatives' footsteps, and the Eastwoods are no exception. One of Clint Eastwood's sons, Kyle, entered the entertainment industry in the 1980s, scoring an uncredited role in his father's film Bronco Billy.
However, after Kyle's unsuccessful audition for The Karate Kid, Clint made the decision to ban Coca-Cola products from his films.
So, what led to this seemingly random ban?
Kyle tried out for the lead role in The Karate Kid but was ultimately turned down by the casting team. According to The Game of Nerds, at the time, Columbia Pictures, which distributed the 1984 film, was owned by Coca-Cola. Eastwood harbored resentment towards the company for rejecting his son and, as a result, forbade any Coca-Cola products from appearing on his movie sets.
In the auditions for The Karate Kid's Daniel LaRusso, several big names were in the running.
According to Cobra Kai star Ralph Macchio, actors such as Charlie Sheen and Robert Downey Jr. were among the contenders. Macchio shared a memory of seeing Sheen outside Jerry Weintraub's bungalow during auditions.
Although Kyle failed to land the lead role in The Karate Kid, two other famous actors' sons were cast in the movie. Chad McQueen, the son of Steve McQueen, played Cobra Kai member Dutch, who famously threatened Daniel with the line "You're dead meat!"
However, Chad has not reprised his role in the Netflix series Cobra Kai due to scheduling conflicts. The show explained Dutch's absence by saying he was serving a long-term prison sentence at Lompoc Federal Penitentiary.
Moreover, Chucky, the amiable companion of the youngster who extended the invitation to Daniel for the shoreline soiree, was briefly portrayed by Frank Avalon, son of the renowned Frankie Avalon, who coincidentally starred alongside Annette Funicello in the celebrated Beach Party cinematic series.
Although Eastwood's son fell short in his audition, Kyle has since become an acclaimed jazz bassist and has even composed music for some of his father's productions. Likewise, Scott Eastwood has made a distinguished mark in the film industry, with many notable roles in films.
Apparently, Clint Eastwood isn't the only famous actor who banned products on set. Tom Cruise was said to have banned all junk food, Jennifer Aniston was said to have banned the use of Styrofoam products, and Woody Harrelson was said to have banned all plastic products on the set of "Lost in London."