Trivia

Of German, Spanish and Mexican ancestry, Collins and his sister, Veronica Collins Rooney, are extremely proud of their grandfather, actor Pedro Gonzalez Gonzalez, often a victim of Latino stereotyping in 1950s/1960s John Wayne westerns and sitcoms. In tribute, Clifton changed his professional name to Clifton Gonzalez-Gonzalez in 1990, claiming that he was tired of people not knowing his grandfather or appreciating the significance of his ordeal. He reverted back to the name of Collins in 2000 after the death of his father.

Son-in-law of Clint Eastwood and Frances Fisher.

As of 2022, has appeared in four films that were nominated for the Best Picture Oscar: Traffic (2000), Capote (2005), Babel (2006) and Nightmare Alley (2021).

Directed music videos for Zac Brown Band and Jamey Johnson.

Enjoys snowboarding and country music.