![Kevin Costner Horizon]()
The first installment of the four-part
Horizon: An American Saga is almost here.
Kevin Costner's passion project finally hits theaters on June 28, with the second part following a couple months later on August 16. The set of films have the potential to be summer blockbusters, though the reviews for the film aren't all that great. You might not trust Rotten Tomatoes, but if you do, they currently have the first movie at 43%. Granted, these are "movie critics" and who really cares what any of them think? Once the movie hits theaters and receives a Rotten Tomatoes Audience Score... then we'll talk.
Regardless of how the film turns out (and the three supposedly coming afterwards), Kevin Costner’s son Hayes is making his acting debut in the project. Hayes is the 15-year-old son of Costner and his ex-wife Christine Baumgartner, and he's set to play the younger version of the character his father plays in the film.
Earlier this year, the
Field of Dreams actor told
People that choosing to cast his son in the role was as intentional as it gets:
“I kind of did it on purpose, so he could be hanging out with me. 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.'”
Some might call that right there "father-son bonding." Others might instead choose to classify that as "nepotism." Either way, we're going to get to see two generations of Costners when
Horizon: An American Saga officially hits the big screen in just a matter of days.
As we've gotten closer and closer to the release of the highly anticipated western, the conversation around Costner casting his own son, without an audition, has remained active. Just recently, when he sat down with
Today (and gave some updates on a
potential Yellowstone return), the topic of casting Hayes came up.
Costner reiterated what he has said before, saying it was a smaller role in the film and he ultimately chose to place his son Hayes into it:
"He's a beautiful boy, and he's quiet. And I have not shoved my children into the business. I realize there are so many young actors out there that would just kill to be in this movie.
And I don’t want to take those parts away from them just ’cause I can place my own children in. In this instance, it was a smaller part (and) I selfishly wanted him with me."
You can hear more from Costner on the casting, as well as many other topics (mostly revolving around the western genre) in the interview below:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Skrb71uETuU&t=354s
