Remember how we said we will get to Johnson and Eastwood’s separation? Here is where we keep our promise. Clint and Maggie legally separated in 1978 and got officially divorced in 1984, reportedly resulting in Maggie getting 25-30 million dollars out of the settlement.
Apparently, Sondra was also legally married during her relationship with Clint. But things were different in her case. She and her legal husband, artist Gordon Anderson, were only married on paper. Anderson was gay and had a live-in male partner of his own. A court testimony says that this marriage was an arrangement of convenience and never consummated.
Dating Sondra Locke
Sondra Locke was a talented actress who met Clint Eastwood in 1972. They started dating but took things slowly, and it wasn't until three years later that they moved in together. The couple shared a home in Sherman Oaks, which was the same house where Eastwood had previously lived with his first wife, Maggie.
However, the living arrangements proved challenging for Locke, as Eastwood was still legally married to Maggie at the time. The house held many memories for Eastwood, and Locke felt like she was living in Maggie's shadow. As a result, Locke asked Eastwood to find a new home where they could start fresh and build a life together without the weight of the past.
Moving Around
Maggie Johnson was not thrilled with the idea of Sondra Locke living in their former home. She did not want Locke to come anywhere near her property and even hesitated to let her meet her children. As a result, Eastwood and Locke decided to move into a new house in Bel-Air, which required significant renovations that would take three years to complete.
During the renovation process, the couple moved from one property to another, spending time in Sun Valley, Idaho, and Tiburon, California, among other places. Despite the challenges they faced, Locke and Eastwood's relationship endured, and they continued to work together in the film industry.
Quite Controversial
Sondra Locke and Clint Eastwood had different views on having children. Locke wanted to start a family, but Eastwood was not interested. During their relationship, Locke became pregnant twice, and both times, Eastwood reportedly pressured her to have an abortion. As a result, Locke eventually decided to have her tubes tied to prevent any future pregnancies.
This issue, along with Locke's marriage to Gordon Anderson, were among the primary reasons for the couple's eventual separation. Despite their differences, Locke and Eastwood continued to work together on several films together, although their relationship would be strained in the years to come.
Parting Ways
Although Eastwood and Locke were never officially married, their 14-year-long relationship was said to be monogamous (for the most part anyway) and committing. "I truly believed that Clint and I did not need papers to validate the commitments we had made to each other," said Sondra. But things changed for them.
They sadly parted ways in 1989, and while they were never married, their separation was a lot like legal divorce, with a palimony lawsuit that dragged on for a long time. It's amazing to think that Eastwood was able to juggle these marital issues while still staying so busy in Hollywood.