American Sniper tells the true story of Chris Kyle, the most lethal sniper in Navy SEAL history. He served four duties in Iraq, from 2003 to 2008, and according to the Daily Mail, “killed as many as 255 insurgents with his high powered sniper rifle.” Kyle was murdered in 2013 at a shooting range, so to learn more about him, director Clint Eastwood and star Bradley Cooper traveled to Hamilton, Texas, to talk to the man’s father, Wayne. It was an intense meeting.
Wayne Kyle said he looked into the eyes of the veteran director and warned him: “Disrespect my son and I’ll unleash Hell on you.”
Eastwood and actor Bradley Cooper, who plays Kyle in the upcoming film American Sniper, both assured him they wouldn’t do anything to cause the family any anguish.
“They looked me in the eye and told me they would honor my son’s memory. That was good enough for me,” said 65-year-old Kyle. “Both Mr. Eastwood and Mr. Cooper were men I could trust. They were very open and engaging and did not want to hide anything.” (Via)
Wayne understandably had his doubts about turning his son’s 2012 autobiography into a movie because he knows “what Hollywood can do and how it can change things.” But he was won over by their decision to personally come see him and how “very respectful and honest” they were. Also, he received a glowing letter of recommendation for Eastwood from Clyde.
American Sniper is out Thursday, December 25th.
