ISTP characteristics 

Clint Eastwood is a no-nonsense, uncomplicated, logical person who is reserved, hates small talk, and would rather get on with the task at hand.  

Born during the depression, Clint Eastwood learned the value of hard work, determination, and adapting to changing circumstances.  

On-screen, he frequently portrayed rebellious, mysterious loners, and laconic, fearless gunfighters, characters who are well suited to his self-reliant and fearless personality.

Although he has been described by Tom Hanks as being “intimidating as hell” when he worked with Eastwood as a director on the set of Sully, Eastwood describes himself as having a laid-back “legato personality”, and is often stoic and unemotional during an interview.  

His hands-on approach to life and the boldness to try something new is seen in his career choices. Clint Eastwood did not just direct some of his films, but he liked to star in them as well.  

His tenacity and ability to reinvent himself have helped him to thrive in the film industry for 65 years. Clint Eastwood is one of the greatest and most consistent movie stars of all time and he is a cinema icon. 

Quotes 

“I felt the less [my character] said, the stronger he became and the more he grew.”

“Sometimes if you want to see a change for the better, you have to take things into your own hands.”

“When I was growing up, I wasn’t an extrovert. If anything, I was an introverted kid and a very average pupil at school. I was very quiet.”

Harrison Ford

Harrison Ford is an American actor and film producer. He is best known for his iconic heroic role as the wise-cracking Han Solo in the Star Wars film series and the brave unflappable Indiana Jones in the Indiana Jones films.  

His other outstanding roles include Blade Runner, American Graffiti, Apocalypse Now, Witness, The Fugitive, Patriot Games, Clear and Present Danger, and Cowboys and Aliens. 

To be able to overcome his shyness, Harrison took acting classes. 

Harrison Ford is an accomplished aviator who flies planes and he has even rescued stranded hikers.  

ISTP characteristics 

Before he made his life-altering choice to become an actor, Harrison Ford was a carpenter. He was hired to play Han Solo after doing some carpentry work in the offices when George Lucas was doing the casting calls for Star Wars. 

Harrison Ford’s desire to be physically challenged and work with his hands is not only demonstrated in his previous carpentry career but in his action hero roles. Most of his screen time involves running, climbing, car chases, riding horses, fighting scenes, shooting a gun, and brandishing a whip. 

Off-screen, he is an intensely private, serious, and softly spoken man but friendly in his very rare interviews.  

Ford’s willingness to play varied roles shows that he is flexible and adaptable, and he can stay cool and calm under the media spotlight.  

Quotes 

“I enjoyed carpentry, and it was very good to me for 12 years.”

“What I observed about my fellow actors was that most gave up very easily.”

“I wanted to live the life, a different life. I didn’t want to go to the same place every day and see the same people and do the same job. I wanted interesting challenges.”

Tom Cruise

Tom Cruise is an American actor. 

His wide film repertoire includes memorable performances in Risky Business, Top Gun, The Color of Money, Rain Man, Born on the Fourth of July, A Few Good Men, the Mission Impossible Franchise, Jerry Maguire, War of the Worlds, and the Jack Reacher Films. 

He won many awards: a Golden Globe award for Best Actor for the Born on the Fourth of July film, a Golden Globe award for Best Supporting Actor for the drama Magnolia, a Saturn Award for Best Actor for the science fiction thriller Vanilla Sky, and the Stanley Kubrick Britannia Award for Excellence in Film from BAFTA Los Angeles when he collaborated with Steven Spielberg on the War of the Worlds film. 

He made his directing debut when he directed an episode of the anthology television series Fallen Angels. 

ISTP characteristics 

Tom Cruise is the epitome of the ISTP personality. The top billing star of the Mission Impossible films, Cruise is ambitious, self-confident, adventurous, and loves to be physically challenged. Not only does he predominately star in films that require him to be active, but he also likes to do a lot of the stunts himself.  

His love of action is encapsulated in the line that was spoken by his character Peter “Maverick” Mitchell spoken in Top Gun. “I feel the need, the need for speed.” 

His many failed marriages and volatile off-screen behavior show his tendency to be impulsive.  

Even though he comes across as arrogant and flamboyant in public, he is generous, a dedicated family man to his children, devoted to the Church of Scientology, and he gives his all for his craft, as he wants audiences to have the best experience. 

He has been described by his fellow actors as being a hard-working man who has an “almost robotic, bloodless focus and an intensity that I’ve never encountered before. … He’s zeroed in like a laser.” – Rob Lowe. 

However, despite his challenges, his adaptability and willingness to take risks have helped him to continue to ride the wave of his success.

Quotes 

“The important thing in life is just to work toward being competent at things – in any area.”

“I’m an all-or-nothing kind of person, and when I become interested in something, I give it my all.”

“I always look for a challenge and something that’s different.”

Scarlett Johansson

Scarlett Johansson is an American actress. Her stellar film credits include North, The Horse Whisperer, Lost in Translation, The Prestige, The Other Boleyn Girl, Iron Man 2, The Avengers, Captain America: The Winter Soldier, Lucy, Avengers: Age of Ultron, Captain America: Civil War, Ghost in the Shell, Avengers: Endgame, and Black Widow. 

She is the highest-paid actress in the world.  

Scarlett’s mother Melanie Sloan was once an actress and enrolled Scarlett in the famous Lee Strasberg Theatre Institute for Young People so her daughter could achieve success.  

In 2010, Johansson debuted on Broadway in a revival of  A View from the Bridge, which won her a Tony Award for Best Featured Actress. 

She can also sing and used her vocal talents for the animated musical film Sing where she played the teenage porcupine, Ash.  

Scarlett has her botanical skin-care line called The Outset. 

ISTP characteristics 

Like Tom Cruise, Scarlett Johansson is a fearless, determined, and versatile actor who chooses demanding roles that require her to be physically active and she performs these roles with skill and confidence. While she does have a stunt double, she does like to do some of her stunts.  

Scarlett Johansson has been described by  The Times as a “reluctant sex symbol…and…a multi-talented star [who] is so much more than a pretty face.” (Erskine, The Untold Truth of Scarlett Johansson, 2019). She is a private person who prefers to be away from the spotlight and avoids social media. 

Scarlett is also described as an ISTP because she values her independence and freedom and doesn’t let her emotions or obstacles get in the way of her success.  

Even in the face of rejection in the acting world, she continues to be a hard-working, disciplined actress who sometimes works 14 hours a day. She is optimistic and adapts easily to changing circumstances and is willing to take risks for her craft.  

Quotes 

“I’m happiest when I have something to focus my energy on.”

“Whenever I’m taking time off, all I’m thinking about is working.”

“I’ve always been very competitive, and a part of that is pushing your boundaries – taking a risk and being able to live with the loss that comes with taking a risk.”

Bruce Lee

Bruce Lee is one of the most influential film personalities of the 20th century. He was a Hong Kong and American martial artist, martial arts instructor, actor, director, screenwriter, producer, and philosopher. 

His extensive film credits include The Way of the Dragon, Enter the Dragon, The Big Boss (Fists of Fury), Fist of Fury (The Chinese Connection), Game of Death, and I am Bruce Lee, and television appearances include The Green Hornet, Batman, Ironside, and Longstreet. 

He learned kung fu as a teenager to be able to better defend himself against local gangs in Hong Kong. 

He took dance lessons to improve his footwork, balance flexibility, and precision. 

In 1958, Lee won the Hong Kong cha-cha championship. 

Bruce Lee was the founder of the original mixed martial art known as Jeet Kune Do–“the way of the intercepting fist.” 

The direction and tone of his films helped to popularize martial arts movies in the 1970s.   

Time Magazine named Bruce Lee one of the 100 most important people of the 20th century.  

Although there is still controversy over his death, Lee died because of swelling of the brain, cerebral edema. 

Since his death, Lee has continued to be a prominent influence on modern combat sports, including  judo, karate, mixed martial arts, and boxing, as well as television, comics, and video games.  

ISTP characteristics 

Bruce Lee has been identified as an ISTP as he was known for his energy, determination to succeed, and unwavering self-confidence in his abilities. However, he was also a dedicated family man 

His analytical mind, and willingness to hone his skills through physical and mental training resulted in him being a master of martial arts.  

Lee was described by Linda Lee Cadwell in the preface of Lee’s book Letters of The Dragon as “a man [who was] dedicated to honest self-expression…”  

His ambition to attain world fame in the film industry was revealed in one of his letters, “he will be the first highest Oriental super star in the United States…and in return, I will give the most exciting performances and render the best of quality in the capacity of an actor.”  

In just four years he achieved his dream and thrilled audiences around the world before dying in 1973 at the age of 32. 

Quotes 

“I fear not the man who has practiced 10,000 kicks once, but I fear the man who has practiced one kick 10,000 times.”

“To hell with circumstances; I create opportunities.”

“Take things as they are. Punch when you have to punch. Kick when you have to kick.”

Miles Davis

Miles Davis was an American jazz trumpeter, bandleader, and composer. He is one of the most influential musicians in 20th-century music and a key figure in the history of jazz.  

He was honored with a Lifetime Achievement Award from the Grammy Organization in 1990. 

Ten of his albums have been inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame (including Bitches Brew, Birth of the Cool, and  Kind of Blue).  

After his death, he was posthumously inducted into the Rock and Roll of Fame in 2006. 

Over his almost 40-year career, Miles Davis was praised for his unique musical intelligence, variety of musical directions, technical proficiency, and major stylistic developments. His music was described as being “frequently hypnotic, even heartbreaking.” (Smith, The Angry Genius of Miles Davis, National Review, 2019). 

A fine bebop trumpeter, Davis felt the need to reinvent jazz and the result was the birth of the laid-back West Coast Cool style of jazz. 

ISTP characteristics 

Miles David was full of energy, and talent, and displayed an unwavering commitment to accomplishing his goals and dreams. 

Although he has been described as a troubled man known for his bad temper and drug and alcohol addiction, as a performer, he threw his heart and soul into his music.  

He had such a singular focus on his music that he would often turn his back on audiences during his performances.

While he was dynamic on stage, Miles was very much an introvert. In his article, Miles Davis Documentary Premiers, Portraying a Man of Contradictions, Mathew Kassel spoke about the documentary, Miles David: Birth of the Cool. “The film has a spare and quiet vibe; it embodies the loneliness, the sense of alienation, that Davis seemed to have felt all his life.”  

In stark contrast to his flamboyant public persona, a young Davis liked to go into the woods and listen to the animals and play what he was hearing, and he was very much a loner. This personality duality is a great example of the ISTP personality as this type of person can be an introvert but also spontaneous and impulsive. 

Throughout his career, Miles Davis displayed a willingness to change and adapt. He was not afraid to challenge established musical norms and remained dedicated to doing what he loved, creating amazing music. 

Quotes 

“Don’t play what’s there; play what’s not there.”

“I’m always thinking about creating. My future starts when I wake up every morning… Every day I find something creative to do with my life.”

“It’s not about standing still and becoming safe. If anybody wants to keep creating, they have to be about change.”

Keith Richards

Keith Richards is an English musician and songwriter, and the founding member of The Rolling Stones. 

He was named by Rolling Stone Magazine as “rock’s greatest single body of riffs.” 

Rolling Stone magazine also ranked Richards 4th on its list of 100 best guitarists. 

As a member of the Rolling Stones, Richards is the only member, aside from Jagger, to sing lead on some Stones songs, such as Happy, Before They Make Me Run, and Connection.  

When he is not playing with The Rolling Stones, Richards has his musical side-project, The X-Pensive Winos.  

He also appeared in three  Pirates of the Caribbean  films as Captain Teague, father of Jack Sparrow. 

In 1989, Richards was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, and in 2004 into the UK Music Hall of Fame with the Rolling Stones.  

He has also written an autobiography called Life against the Grain and his memoir Life. 

ISTP characteristics 

As an ISTP, Keith Richards is a goal-focused, highly-skilled, versatile musician. His love affair with music began at three years of age, when he practiced guitar at home, listened to blues records, and spent time in the studio as a blues guitarist. 

He is always full of energy and his immense drive for creating music means he can go without sleep and still meet the required deadlines for his recording projects. In the Rolling Stone article, Keith Richards’ Wild Escapades: 19 Insane Tales from a Legendary Life, it’s said that regardless of going without sleep, Richards was still able to record Before They Make Me Run, in a five-day studio binge. 

Despite his bohemian lifestyle and drug abuse, Keith Richard’s commitment to his craft and maintaining the authenticity of The Rolling Stone’s unique sound has kept him at the top of his game. At the age of 78, he still tours with The Rolling Stones performing his famous guitar riffs.

Amelia Earhart

Amelia Earhart was an American aviation pioneer and author.  

She was the first female to fly solo across the Atlantic Ocean and was one of the first aviators to promote commercial air travel.

Amelia won a U.S. Distinguished Flying Cross for her solo flight across the Atlantic Ocean. 

Earhart developed a passion early on and gained her flying experience in her twenties.  

She piloted a Lockheed Vega 5B and made a nonstop solo transatlantic flight and became the first woman to do so. She received the United States Distinguished Flying Cross for this accomplishment. 

She was also a member of the National Woman’s Party  and an early supporter of the Equal Rights  

Amelia helped fund an organization for female pilots that later became known as the Ninety-Nines.  

In 1932, she was awarded the Cross of Knight of the French Legion of Honour. 

She also had a functional clothing line in 1933, which was designed “for the woman who lives actively.” 

She also wrote books on her flying experiences and achievements.  

In 1935, Amelia Earhart was named in the top 100 Women of the Year in Time Magazine. 

In 1937, Amelia Earhart and her navigator Fred Noonan disappeared over the central Pacific Ocean. An extensive search was conducted without success and the pair were declared lost at sea. Even today, mystery and speculation surround her disappearance. 

A movie starring Hilary Swank has been made about Amelia Earhart. 

ISTP characteristics 

A natural ISTP personality, Amelia’s curious mind and insatiable thirst for knowledge and discovering the unknown sparked her passion for adventure.  

Amelia has been described as a gracious and shy person, but also willful and independent. 

A strong courageous woman, Amelia was not afraid to defy the social expectations that were impressed upon women of her time to pursue her passion.  She showed courage, skill, and daring and took on a “man’s world” on its terms. (Whelan, The Morning Call, 1987) 

She is mechanically minded, detailed-minded, observant, practical, and resourceful. Her hands-on approach to flying meant she was not content to sit in the back seat but take the controls, not only of the planes she piloted but also her life.  

Regardless of mechanical difficulties and inclement weather during her flights, she braved the unknown and followed her dreams. 

Quotes   

“Adventure is worthwhile in itself.”

“The most effective way to do it, is to do it.”

“Preparation, I have often said, is rightly two-thirds of any venture.’”

Sir Edmund Hilary

Sir Edmund Hilary was a New Zealand mountaineer, explorer, and philanthropist.  

His most famous achievement was reaching the summit of Mount Everest, the highest mountain in the world, along with his Tibetan mountaineer Tenzing Norgay.  

Hilary was also an active person and while in high school, Hilary began climbing New Zealand’s Southern Alps. 

His other notable expeditions include reaching the South Pole overland, and he scaled Mount Herschel in Antarctica. He also led the first jet boat expedition up the Ganges River and climbed to its source in the Himalayas.  

In 1953, the film “The Conquest of Everest” documented Hilary’s successful climb. 

Sir Edmund Hillary was knighted in London in 1953 shortly after he returned from his iconic expedition. 

Over the years numerous other honors were bestowed on him, including the Order of the Garter in 1995.