Kevin Costner Admits One Actor Outshined Every Co Star He Worked With

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Kevin Costner is well-known for his work in Western films. Throughout his forty-plus year career, he’s acted alongside many famous stars, including Dennis Hopper in Waterworld, Sean Connery in The Untouchables, Susan Sarandon in Bull Durham, and Whitney Houston in The Bodyguard.

Considering all the famous actors he’s worked with, you’d think Kevin Costner would have trouble picking a favorite. But on The Rich Eisen Show, he clearly stated who he thought was the best. While he acknowledged many talented performers, Costner said Gene Hackman is number one.

Kevin Costner and Gene Hackman starred together in the 1987 thriller No Way Out, with Costner as a Lieutenant Commander and Hackman as the Secretary of Defense. Costner remembers a disagreement with the director, Roger Donaldson, about his positioning during a scene. When the crew expressed concern about how this might impact Hackman, Costner assured them that Hackman was such a skilled actor he’d naturally know how to react and adjust.

As Costner was leaving for the day, Hackman walked up to him. Costner braced himself, expecting a reprimand for being a challenging young actor. But instead, Hackman gave him an unexpected compliment. He told Costner that watching him passionately pursue his vision reminded him of his own early love for acting. Hackman simply acknowledged that Costner had done well before leaving, and the moment stayed with Costner throughout his career.

Kevin Costner has finished his run as John Dutton on the popular show Yellowstone, with the final season airing in late 2024. Though the Yellowstone universe continues with new spin-offs, Costner is now dedicated to his own projects. His latest work, an eight-part Civil War drama called The Gray House, debuted on Prime Video on February 26th. He also executive produced the series with Morgan Freeman, a friend and former co-star from the film Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves.

Kevin Costner is currently filming the third and fourth parts of his epic Western, Horizon: An American Saga. Even though the first two movies haven’t done well in theaters, Costner is committed to completing the four-part story, and Chapter 3 is scheduled to be released later this year.

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2026-02-03 20:14