ENTERTAINMENT
How much of his own money did Kevin Costner put up to make “Horizon: An American Saga”?
“Yellowstone” star Costner received a standing ovation in France following the first showing of his long-awaited passion project.
Kevin Costner, along with his children, has been one of the stars of the show at the 2024 Cannes Film Festival, where he received a seven-minute standing ovation following the premiere of “Horizon: An American Saga”.
The veteran actor was teary-eyed as attendees applauded and chanted his name, eventually managing to address the audience.
“I’m sorry you had to clap that long for me to understand that I should speak,” he joked. “Such good people. Such a good moment, not just for me, but for the actors that came with me, for people who believed in me who continued to work. It’s a funny business, and I’m so glad I found it. There’s no place like here. I’ll never forget this — either will my children.”
How many children does Kevin Costner have? Who with?
Costner has rarely been seen in public with his kids but made an exception in the south of France, where five of his seven (daughters Annie (40), Lily (37) and Grace (13), and sons Cayden (17) and Hayes (15)) joined him on the red carpet.
The “Yellowstone” star shares Annie and Lily, as well as son Joe, 36, with first wife Cindy Silva, while he had Cayden, Hayes and Grace with second wife Christine Baumgartner. He also has one son, 26-year-old Liam, with ex-partner Bridget Rooney.
What is “Horizon: An American Saga” about?
“Horizon: An American Saga” was originally promoted as a two-part epic western film, although Costner revealed in Cannes there would be three more instalments of the franchise after the showing of the first this week.
The 69-year-old plays the lead role in the movie, which features an ensemble cast led by Sienna Miller and Sam Worthington and depicts the expansion of the American West during the American Civil War, told from the perspective of cattle ranchers, farmers and soldiers, among others.
To say that “Horizon” has been a long time in the making would be something of an understatement, with Costner requiring a good deal of time - and money - to get it over the line.
Costner struggles to film “Horizon” passion project”: when will it be released in theaters?
He has been working on the film on and off since 1988, in between other ventures, including “Yellowstone”. And, as he told GQ, he put $38 million of his own money, as well as mortgaging his ranch, into making his passion project happen.
“I felt time slipping. I thought the window was closing on me being able to be an effective part in that movie.
“We very rarely started when we said we would, and we didn’t finish when we said we would. And I was OK with that. I really was. I was OK with it, but it wasn’t a trend that could continue for me.”
Luckily for Costner, season five of “Yellowstone” was split into two parts with a sizeable break in between, giving him the opportunity to finally realise his dream of filming “Horizon”.
Following its premiere at the Cannes Film Festival, the movie will be released in theaters in the United States on Friday 28 June, with the second instalment slated for Friday 16 August.