Legendary actor and film director Clint Eastwood fell short of endorsing Donald Trump for president, but acknowledged the Republican presidential nominee is “onto something” for not being afraid to speak his mind.

“He’s onto something, because secretly everybody’s getting tired of political correctness, kissing up,” Mr. Eastwood, 86, told Esquire magazine in an interview published Wednesday. “That’s the kiss-ass generation we’re in right now. We’re really in a pussy generation. Everybody’s walking on eggshells.”

“We see people accusing people of being racist and all kinds of stuff. When I grew up, those things weren’t called racist,” he continued. “And then when I did ‘Gran Torino,’ even my associate said, ‘This is a really good script, but it’s politically incorrect.’ And I said, ‘Good. Let me read it tonight.’ The next morning, I came in and I threw it on his desk and I said, ‘We’re starting this immediately.’”

Asked to elaborate on his praise for Mr. Trump, the director responded, “What Trump is onto is he’s just saying what’s on his mind. And sometimes it’s not so good. And sometimes it’s — I mean, I can understand where he’s coming from, but I don’t always agree with it.”

Mr. Eastwood hasn’t yet endorsed a candidate in the presidential race but said he would cast a vote for Mr. Trump over Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton.

“I’d have to go for Trump,” he said. “‘Cause she’s declared that she’s gonna follow in Obama’s footsteps. There’s been just too much funny business on both sides of the aisle. She’s made a lot of dough out of being a politician. I gave up dough to be a politician. I’m sure that Ronald Reagan gave up dough to be a politician.”

He said Mrs. Clinton would be “a tough voice to listen to for four years.”

“It could be a tough one. If she’s just gonna follow what we’ve been doing, then I wouldn’t be for her,” he added.

Mr. Eastwood’s 30-year-old son, actor Scott Eastwood, appeared alongside his father during the Esquire interview, but he refrained from getting political.

“It’s an interesting time,” he said. “My father’s definitely old-school. And he raised me with integrity — to be places on time, show up, and work hard.”

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