Eastwood

Eastwood did meet the three heroes — childhood friends traveling around Europe together — backstage in 2016 after presenting them with a Spike TV Guys Choice Award for their bravery.

The meeting was momentous, not only because it triggered Eastwood’s work on his film centered on the highspeed train ride, The 15:17 to Paris (in theaters Friday). But the director, 87, also eventually stopped his casting process and asked the charismatic Americans to play themselves onscreen, despite their having no acting experience.

Even the guys, who wrote the book the movie is based upon, were stunned listening to Eastwood’s proposal in his office weeks before shooting.

“What went through our heads was this was a lot of pressure. We don’t want to disappoint. He’s taking a big risk by doing this, and we’re taking a big risk,” says Skarlatos, who appeared on Season 21 of Dancing With the Stars. “We don’t want to ruin our life story, either. We did have a little debate. But you cannot say no to an opportunity like that.”

Eastwood adds wryly, “Besides, everybody knocks out a flop every now and then.”

In reality, Eastwood was comfortable taking the major gamble of casting three unknown quantities in his lead roles.

“I never looked back. But I did think about, ‘What happens if these guys turn out to be three stiffs?’ ” says Eastwood, cracking up his stars during a group interview at the Four Seasons Hotel. “I had a period in my life where I spent more time thinking. But that thinking can get you in a lot of trouble. Sometimes when you get a good idea, you have to take it.”

His stars were naturals portraying themselves, re-creating the European jaunt they took while Stone and Skarlatos were on leave from their duties in the Air Force and Oregon National Guard, respectively.

The casting proved even more powerful when the director restaged the fateful attack on the same train line.

“When we were on the train, it was the real deal,” Eastwood says, looking at his stars. “An actor tries to get into the character to that degree. The fact is, you were playing yourselves. We just kept it going.”

The trio felt a sense of catharsis as they filmed the battle. Eastwood hopes experiencing it onscreen will help others realize just how profound that moment was.

“I don’t know what Clint Eastwood would have done. No one knows what you’re going to do in that situation unless you have lived it,” Eastwood says. “And these three fellas have.”