I turned down James Bond and Superman roles: Clint Eastwood

The 80-year-old actor and director said he was approached to take over as 007 after Sean Connery walked out on the role in 1967, reported Los Angeles Times online. At the time Eastwood was playing cowboys in spaghetti westerns such as 'The Good, The Bad And The Ugly'. He said his then lawyer also represented the Broccolis, who produce the Bond franchise.

"He came and said, 'They would love to have you'. I was offered pretty good money to do James Bond if I would take on the role. But to me, well, that was somebody else's gig. That's Sean's deal. It didn't feel right for me to be doing it," said the Academy winning actor.

When Eastwood turned down the role, the producers chose Australian actor George Lazenby as the new Bond. Mocked for his 'wooden' acting, he appeared in only one film, On 'Her Majesty's Secret Service' in 1969.

Connery, considered by many fans to be the best Bond, returned to the role in 1971's 'Diamonds Are Forever' having been convinced by a bumper pay packet. Eastwood went on to achieve international stardom after winning the role of San Francisco detective Harry Callaghan in 1971's cult hit 'Dirty Harry'.

The 'Million Dollar Baby' director said that he was considered for the role of Superman before the lead role in the 1978 blockbuster went to Christopher Reeve. "This was when they first started to think about making it. I was like, 'Superman? Nah, nah, that's not for me'. Not that there’s anything wrong with it. It's for somebody, but not me," said Eastwood.