For the past 20 years, Kimber Lynn Eastwood has made a successful career as a professional makeup artist on various films and television shows, including “Wheel of Fortune.” Now, the daughter of legendary actor Clint Eastwood is sharing how a family tradition led to the full-circle moment.
In an exclusive interview with Fox News Digital, Kimber opened up about how she landed her gig at “Wheel of Fortune” in 2005, shared some insight as to how new host Ryan Seacrest is adjusting to Pat Sajak’s former role and explained how she went from following in her dad’s footsteps to finding her own path.
“My grandmother was very traditional from Scranton, Pennsylvania,” said Kimber. “We watched ‘Wheel of Fortune’ and ‘Jeopardy!’ every night together with my mom and my aunts.”
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Kimber Lynn Eastwood said she used to watch “Wheel of Fortune” with her grandma, mom and aunts before becoming a professional makeup artist for the show. (Getty Images)
“[My dad] knows that I’ve been on the show, and when we talk, and I’m like, ‘Oh, I’m going to ‘Wheel’ this week. He’s been very supportive of my career.”
Growing up, Kimber said it was only natural to follow in her parent’s footsteps. Kimber was the only child of Clint and the late Roxanne Tunis, an actress best known for her role in the 1986 film “Blue City.” However, life’s obstacles created other plans for her.
“I studied acting for years and years and years,” said Kimber. “I was a single mom, so I raised my son, and I waitressed at night and auditioned in the daytime. I was working at Marmalade Cafe in Westlake, and I waited on my [current] boss. I told him I was in makeup school, and I had been an actress and who I was and my dad and all that. And, so, he said, ‘Why don’t you come down to ‘Wheel’ and just check it out and just see what we do down there?’ And I did.
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Kimber said her dad has been “very supportive” of her career. (Ron Galella/Ron Galella Collection via Getty Images)
“In the meantime, I was just doing independent films or short films or whatever I can get my hands on at that time to do makeup and experience,” she added. “And then, about a year later, he called me and said, ‘Hey, we need somebody in the contestant department.’ And that’s that.”
Kimber, who at one point did makeup for both Sajak and co-host Vanna White on the show, said she has found joy in connecting with the contestants.
“I just love doing [makeup for] the contestants,” she said. “They are just so happy and appreciative and just so happy to be there, you know, and excited. And the energy is just really, just really fun.
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“I try to talk with them and try to calm them down and reassure them,” she continued. “The contestant department is amazing what they do with them. They’re there for about a good five solid hours before they go on stage. So, we just try to make them as comfortable as possible, reassure them that they’re going to look beautiful on stage.”
Kimber said Seacrest was the “best pick” to replace longtime host Pat Sajak. (Ryan Seacrest Instagram)
Having been around for two decades, Kimber said both Sajak and White are “the kindest and most humble people that you could ever wish to work for.” She said she’s eager for Seacrest to step into his new role as host. Sajak’s last episode aired earlier this year.
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“Ryan stepped into the role like he’d been doing it 100 years,” Kimber said of the seasoned host, who made his big “WoF” debut Monday. “I mean, he is so professional. I mean, we’re used to seeing Pat for 40 years, but Ryan’s great, too. I like them both equally, and I think they’re both very talented, on the sly, witty, sharp men.
“Ryan was the best pick for the job,” she added. “I couldn’t think of a better person to take over for Pat.”
Outside of work, Kimber, who is mother to son Clinton, said she enjoys spending time with family.
Clint is a father to eight children. (Michael Kovac/Getty Images for AFI)
“[My dad] is great with all the grandkids,” Kimber said of Clint. “He’s older, he’s more settled in his life. He loves being a grandpa. He loves all of us.”
The award-winning actor and director is a father of eight: Laurie Murray, Kimber, Kyle Eastwood, Alison Eastwood, Scott Eastwood, Kathryn Eastwood, Francesca Eastwood and Morgan Eastwood.
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Clint was married twice. His first marriage was to model Maggie Johnson from 1953-64. The former couple didn’t finalize their divorce until 1984. He then married Dina Ruiz in 1996, and the couple divorced in 2014.
The legendary actor’s longtime partner, Christina Sandera, died in July. (Fox News Digital)
More recently, Clint mourned the loss of his longtime partner, Christina Sandera, who died July 18 at age 61.
Sandera’s cause of death was cardiac arrhythmia, the Monterey, California, County Dept. of Health said in a death certificate obtained by Fox News Digital.
“We were all in shock, and it was all kind of a struggle in the beginning, but I think now the shock value is wearing off,” said Kimber. “When somebody passes away that’s so close to you, you just, there’s just kind of a different vibe. You just learn to live with it.”
As the family continues to navigate a new normal, Kimber said she’ll continue to live by her dad’s famous words, “Just be yourself.”
Fox News Digital’s Tracy Wright contributed to this report.