Kevin Costner has defended casting his son in his new film Horizon: An American Saga.
The Yellowstone actor is finally releasing the first part of his Western quadrilogy after first trying to get it made in the late 1980s. As well as directing, co-writing, starring, and funding the film, he also cast his son Hayes Costner in the movie (although not as his character’s son).
Explaining his decision, Kevin told Metro: “(Hayes) had never acted before and I don’t automatically give parts to my children because I know how coveted this is.
“There’s young people that would do anything to have a part in a movie, and I want those kids to emerge. My children, if they’re not interested in the business, I’m not going to automatically give them something because I know there’s other people that this is a dream for.”
Kevin continued: “I’m also a father and it was a part that wasn’t that long – and I wanted him to be close to me. I was away from home, I needed my family close to me, and it was a way for me to trap him. I thought he was just beautiful in the movie.”
The actor went on to explain that the link between his son and the film goes even further than him starring in it, as he’d always had the name Hayes in mind for his lead role. Along the way, between conception and releasing the film though, Kevin decided to use the name for his son.
“I had trouble making this movie, but for whatever reason I kept the name Hayes – [it] was part of my journey that I wasn’t going to let go this character, Hayes Ellison,” he explained.
“I started this in 1988 and I couldn’t make it, but I wouldn’t fall out of love with it. I don’t know what that says about me, but I couldn’t fall out of love with Hayes, and so 15 years ago I just named my son Hayes because I couldn’t let go of it.”
Meanwhile, the actor also recently spoke out about the behind-the-scenes drama that led to him leaving Yellowstone and its earlier than planned end.
Horizon: An American Saga – Chapter 1 comes to cinemas on June 28, while Chapter 2 will follow on August 16.
