The Poster Memorabilia blog

Two Giant Icons, One Movie

Two Oscar nights, a year apart, and a Best Picture poster signed by the men who made it.

By an anonymous Hollywood insider

Imagine a western starring Clint Eastwood. You already know you're in for a good time, right? Then put Morgan Freeman into the mix. Now, you know you're about to watch an excellent movie! Two gigantic movie icons in one movie? Two acting powerhouses at that? It's no wonder Unforgiven won Best Picture at the Oscars in 1993.

I haven't even mentioned that Gene Hackman is also in the movie, playing the antagonist, Little Bill, a role that won him an Oscar of his own. It was so exciting seeing him fight it out against Eastwood and Freeman. It was all a masterclass in Western acting, and they all nailed the tone and tempo. The movie could've gone camp since it was a Western, but they added a refined touch.

And of course, you can never go wrong with Clint Eastwood and Morgan Freeman. I already knew this when they both starred in Million Dollar Baby, which earned the latter his first Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor.

“It's always a treat when icons of this magnitude share the screen.”

It's always a treat when icons of this magnitude share the screen in one movie. I'm not one to get caught up in the hype of an all-star ensemble cast, but if they're actors of this caliber, I can't help but be intrigued. I only watched Unforgiven because I saw who was in it, and as I expected, they all did a great job.

I still can't believe I actually met both of them and got their autographs on my movie poster. And where do you think I saw them? The only place legends like them still gather: the Academy Awards.

I missed the time they were both at the ceremony together, probably the 77th ceremony in 2005, when they both won big for Million Dollar Baby. Instead, I saw them at two different ceremonies, back-to-back.

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I met Clint Eastwood at the 87th Academy Awards in 2015, when his movie, American Sniper, was nominated for multiple awards. Even at his age, he still walked the red carpet, and I got him to sign my poster there. Shaking his hand afterward is still one of my best memories of that night.

A year later, I saw Morgan Freeman at the 88th Academy Awards, where he presented the Best Picture Oscar to the night's big winner, Spotlight. But before all that jazz, I also met him and got him to sign the same poster. He was the warmer of the two, and not only did I shake his hand, but he also smiled at me.

I initially planned to chase down the other cast members for their autographs, too, but life kept me busy. I only realized I had forgotten all about it when Gene Hackman passed away in February 2025, and I immediately regretted never getting to see him.

Nevertheless, I'm more than satisfied with these two autographs. They were my favorite parts of the film, so it's still good. I doubt even some of the most experienced autograph hounds managed to meet these legends. I still consider myself lucky I met both of them at all.

Some things you watch. This one you keep.

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