Actor, writer and director Kevin Costner has some thoughts on gender relations in film (Picture: Getty)
Actor and director Kevin Costner knows his target audience. Speaking about his process as a filmmaker, the star has revealed: ‘I make movies for men.’
Kevin, 69, rose to fame playing tough guy roles in films like The Untouchables, The Bodyguard and 3000 Miles to Graceland.
He has also directed four movies to date, including Dances With Wolves, The Postman and Open Range. His work on Dances With Wolves earned him two Academy Awards for Best Picture and Best Director.
Kevin is currently promoting his latest film – Horizon: An American Saga – Part 1, which he writes, directs and also stars in.
The star may have a reputation as a man’s man, but that’s not to say the Waterworld star has no room for women in his work. Speaking to host Josh Horowitz on the podcast Happy Sad Confused, Kevin revealed how he navigates gender relations in his work.
‘Whenever you start writing, you start writing and you go, “Where’s the woman?” It just drove the story in every plot line. I hardly couldn’t conceive of a scene that didn’t involve women or a young girl raised by a strong woman,’ Kevin said.
Kevin writes, stars in and directs Horizon: An American Saga (Credits: AP)
Kevin starred opposite Whitney Houston in The Bodyguard (Picture: Shutterstock)
He clarified: ‘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.
‘I think that’s why I have a good following. I thank you women for dragging your men here. it was a Western after all.
‘I just can’t conceive of a movie without having [strong women]’ he finished.
Kevin plays Hayes Ellison in Horizon (Picture: Warner Bros Entertainment)
In a case of Kevin walking the walk where his comments are concerned, the film counts Sienna Miller, Jena Malone, Ella Hunt and Abbey Lee among its cast.
The first in a planned four-part (!) epic, the film chronicles 15 years of life in the American West, led by Kevin’s grumpy loner, Hayes Ellison.
The film also stars Kevin’s real-life son, Hayes (who, yes, has the same name as Kevin’s character), playing the overprotective son of Frances (Sienna Miller).
Sienna Miller stars in Kevin Costner’s Horizon (Picture: AFP)
Hayes scored the role without even auditioning, as Kevin revealed recently.
‘He had never acted before and I don’t automatically give parts to my children because I know how coveted this is,’ he told Metro.co.uk and other members of the press.
‘There’s young people that would do anything to have a part in a movie, and I want those kids to emerge.’
Let’s hope audiences like Horizon… there are three more chapters on the way (Picture: Shutterstock)
He continued: ‘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.
‘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 role,’ Kevin added.
Son Hayes (far left) also stars in the film opposite his dad (Picture: Shutterstock)
Kevin has seven children in total, across three relationships.
Hayes is the youngest of the three children Costner had with ex-wife Christine Baumgartner, in addition to siblings Cayden and Grace.
He also shares three adult children with his former partner Cindy Silva, and son Liam with actress Bridget Rooney.
Horizon: An American Saga – Chapter 1 is out now, with Chapter 2 to follow on August 16.
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