According to an interview with Sienna Miller in Variety (emphasis mine):

Is it true that Clint Eastwood doesn't give a lot of direction?

He does, though. That's the thing. He does it his own way. But for me, I found him to be really attentive. I felt very directed throughout this whole film. He's literally sitting by the camera and he's looking at you, and he doesn't take his eye off you. I remember before an emotional scene, he came up and put his hand on my back and he just whispered in my ear the death toll in Iraq on the day we're shooting. It was an amazing piece of direction, because it grounds you.

Eep!

[Pic via AP]