Stay up to date with notifications from The Independent

Notifications can be managed in browser preferences.

Kevin Costner turned down Chris Hemsworth to cast himself in new romance movie

Hemsworth described the movie as ‘interesting and abstract... a small story about a man and a woman’

Inga Parkel
Tuesday 16 April 2024 12:46 EDT
Comments
Kevin Costner Signs On for New Docuseries

Your support helps us to tell the story

From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.

At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.

The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.

Your support makes all the difference.

Chris Hemsworth has revealed that he was recently turned down from leading a Kevin Costner-directed project, after Costner decided to cast himself in the role instead.

“There was a movie, a script that I’d read and loved and was like, ‘I want to get that,’ and then someone said, ‘Kevin Costner has that [role],’” Hemsworth told Entertainment Tonight.

“I’d love [to have] him as a director. I was like, ‘Goddamnit!’ [I spent] an hour the other day trying to convince him, and he was like, ‘I’m doing it, kid.’ Didn’t work. I didn’t get the part.”

Without giving away too much, the Thor star, 40, described the movie as “abstract and interesting... a small story about a man and a woman”.

He said that “there were horses involved” in the movie because the character is a “horse wrangler”, which is partly why he wanted to join the project.

“My wife read [the script] and loves horses,” Hemsworth added. “We have 10 or 11 horses back home, and so she’s like, ‘You’ve got to do this.’”

Asked about denying Hemsworth the role, Costner joked to ET: “Chris – he’s starting something on me.

“It’s a love story, but as long as I’m still young enough to play it, I’ll play it. Chris will have to wait his turn.

Actors Chris Hemsworth (left) and Kevin Costner
Actors Chris Hemsworth (left) and Kevin Costner (Getty Images)

“[Hemsworth]’s so handsome, and he’s so good. He’s going to have to go find his [own] love story. [But] I’m glad he likes this one. If I reach a moment where I [don’t] think I could do that, I would [reach out]. He’s certainly one of our great leading men right now.”

Costner currently has four upcoming projects, according to IMDb, two of which are installments of his Western epic Horizon. It was announced last week that Horizon: An American Saga – Chapter 1 would premiere at next month’s Cannes Film Festival.

Directed by and starring Costner, the two-part Western will also see the acting debut of the Yellowstone actor’s 15-year-old son Hayes.

“I kind of did it on purpose, so he could be hanging out with me,” Costner told People of casting his son. “And the same thing for Cayden, same thing for Grace. I’m like any other parent, I’m trying to figure out, like, ‘This is really neat. You should come be with me.’”

Costner, 69, has seven children, three of whom – Lily, Joe and Annie – he shares with his first wife, Cindy Costner. He shares another son, Liam, with Bridget Rooney, whom he dated after divorcing Cindy in 1994. In 2004, he remarried actor Christine Baumgartner, but the couple have since divorced earlier this year. The ex-couple share three children: Cayden Wyatt, Logan Hayes and Grace.

Join our commenting forum

Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies

Comments

Thank you for registering

Please refresh the page or navigate to another page on the site to be automatically logged inPlease refresh your browser to be logged in