Kevin Costner is one of Hollywood’s most beloved people. As an actor as well as a director, Costner has given us movies that are extraordinary in what they depict. From JFK to Silverado to Dances With Wolves, his movies give us range as well as depth in stories.
At 69 years of age, the actor has been part of the industry for the last 43 years, having started back in 1981 with Sizzle Beach U.S.A. And in all these years, he has managed to make a name for himself, not just as a talented actor and filmmaker, but also as one of the most well-liked people in the industry. And his latest revelation is yet another proof of why.
The Reason Behind Kevin Costner’s Four Decades-Long Success
Kevin Costner, for most of his career, has played strong, gritty characters. His favorite genre, the Western genre, sees it’s actors playing rough and touch characters, like a sheriff, or a cowboy, or a bounty hunter. And Costner embodies Western like he is one with the story itself. Even when he is not doing a Western, like The Bodyguard, sometimes those Western characteristics come out in his moves or the way he says a dialogue.
And while his tough characters have always managed to procure a fan following, he has also always managed to make the women in his movies equally strong. The actor, who has recently stepped back into his director’s chair after many years, recently spoke of how his latest venture – Horizon: An American Saga has many strong, capable women characters, played by equally strong and capable female actors, whom he loved to share screen with.
During a recent Happy, Sad, Confused panel hosted by Josh Horowitz for Horizon, Costner spoke of how although he makes movies for men, it is the wen who make the movie for him. He also thanked his female fans for dragging their partners to the theatres and the panels to support him and his movie.
I make movies for men. That’s what I do. But I won’t make a movie unless I have strong women characters. And that’s how I’ve conducted my career. And that’s why I have a good following. And I thank you women for dragging your men here. It was a Western, after all.
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This sentiment might seem rare in today’s world, especially when we consider the Western genre. But Costner has made sure that his movies, whether it’s a Western or not, have strong women characters backing the story.
Kevin Costner Is Not Having The Best of Days Recently
Kevin Costner is currently in a tight spot. Both personally as well as professionally, the 69 year-old actor is having a hard time managing things, most of which is not going the way he wants them to. On the personal front, after his sudden and quick divorce with ex-wife Christine Baumgartner, he was allegedly involved with singer-songwriter Jewel. But rumor has it the ship hit rock bottom before it could start sailing, and the Yellowstone actor and the 50 year-old singer have gone their seperate ways.
At the same time, Baumgartner, with whom he finalized his divorce last year, has found new love in Costner’s old buddy. She is even ready to take the next step and planning to get married to financier Josh Connor, who was once known as Costner’s best friend. And Costner is allegedly not too happy with the news on top of everything else that is going on in his life.
On the professional front, his movie, Horizon: An American Saga, which Costner has planned to be a 4 part Western, is not fairing too well. Even though Costner and the movie received an 11 minutes standing ovation at Cannes this year, he could not procure investment for his project. The first two movies of the saga have been largely financed by Costner himself. In a cover story interview with GQ, ho revealed to have invested around $38 million on the first two. Warner Bros. joined in later as distributing partner, but that hasn’t been much of a help in totality.
Horizon: An American Saga Chapter 1 has already been released in theaters, doing abysmal numbers on the box office. And Horizon: An American Saga Chapter 2 is ready to be released on August 16. Hopefully, this one does better than the first.