Clint Eastwood brought in real cops and gave them no context to nail a Sean Penn scene in Mystic River.

Besides being one of the most badass characters to ever grace the screen, Clint Eastwood is also known for his contribution behind the camera. Having directed several acclaimed films in his decades-long directorial career, one thing that sets him apart from other filmmakers is his calm and quick approach.

Unlike someone like Stanley Kubrick, who didn't shy away from taking multiple takes to get the perfect result from the actors, Eastwood is known for not taking more than one or two takes at most. Matt Damon, who has first-hand experience with the director, recalled the story of how Eastwood ensured that one of the most impactful moments in Mystic River was nailed for a while.

In one of the most visceral scenes from Mystic River, Sean Penn's Jimmy cries as he is held down by six police officers after learning that his daughter is dead. Given that Eastwood is known to stick around for most scenes, Matt Damon, who collaborated with him on Invictus and Hereafter, recalled asking Eastwood if this was also the case for the Mystic River scene. After learning that it was indeed done in the first take, the Interstellar star was quite confused.