Kevin Costner was rumored to have spent $20 million of his own money to help finance his $100 million-budgeted two-part western Horizon: An American Saga, but it was actually $38 million.
‘That’s the truth. “That’s the real number,” the 69-year-old Yellowstone star confirmed in his GQ cover story on Monday.
‘It’s kind of an independent film. My wife (Christine Baumgartner) and I knew we were going to finance it. We just mortgaged a property, a beachfront property in Santa Barbara. Ten acres. I said, “It’s a good deal.” And she said, “Yeah, one more and we’ll be out of business.”
Kevin finalized his contentious divorce from his 49-year-old ex on February 16 after 18 years of marriage, but said the split was “unrelated” to their “crazy” financial gamble.
In contrast to Ahab in Herman Melville’s 1851 novel Moby-Dick, Costner said, “He was so obsessed with the white whale that he would take everyone with him.” I don’t take anyone with me. I assume the risk myself.
Kevin Costner was rumored to have spent $20 million of his own money to help finance his $100 million-budgeted two-part Western, Horizon: An American Saga, but it was actually $38 million.
The Yellowstone star, 69, confirmed in her GQ cover story on Monday: “That’s the truth. That’s the real number. It’s kind of an independent movie. My wife (Christine Baumgartner) and I knew we were going to finance it. We just mortgaged a property, a beachfront property in Santa Barbara. Ten acres. I said, “That’s a good deal.” And she said, “Yes, one more and we’ll be out of business.”
The two-time Oscar winner, who has been dating Grammy-nominated singer Jewel, agreed to pay Christine $63,000 a month in child support to help care for her 16-year-old son Cayden Wyatt; her son Hayes Logan, 15; and her 13-year-old daughter Grace Avery.
Not only did Kevin fight Baumgartner in court, he also fought Yellowstone creator Taylor Sheridan over the filming schedule along with delays due to the WGA/SAG strikes that halted filming of Horizon, which he now wants expand to two films despite not securing financing.
‘A lot. Very serious things. And those things are very important,’ Costner marveled.
‘I have to deal with them. And I have to deal with them daily, emotionally, almost historically. And then there are the immediate needs of the children. I’m not going to list things, I’ll stop right there with them. “That’s my job, to look at that and deal with that.”
The Modern West frontman admitted: “A lot has happened. Right now I look at myself in the dark and say: Are you going to get up and finish? Get up. I am the audience. Get up, Kevin. Get up and deal with this and find the joy every day of watching your kids play while you’re here, and then work hard to finish this.
Kevin produced, wrote, directed and stars as Hayes Ellison in the two-part epic set before and after the Civil War, hitting US theaters on June 28 and August 16, something that has “never been done before.” before in the history of cinema.
“Well, if I think about (both movies are bangers), I’ll freeze,” Costner said.
‘I’m doing Three right now. He was out there exploring. I don’t want to stay frozen in my life. On top of that, September is not going to define my life, so fuck you. What will define my life will be: will people visit this movie in 10 years? And I’m going to own that movie. And so whatever trade arises from that movie, 10 years from now, 20 years from now, 30 years from now, I own that and so do my heirs.”
The JFK alum added: “If my psychiatrist looked at me and said, “Kevin, let me get this straight. Nobody wanted to make one, right? At least at that moment when you stopped doing it, they didn’t want to do it.” I said yes”. And she says, “Why then go out and write four more? Why do you go out and do that?”
And I guess the answer is: because I believe. But I can also see that psychiatrist saying, “Yeah, but no one wanted one, and you only made four.” As if I didn’t hear it the first time. And I can’t defend that psyche. I can’t defend anything other than the story just got better and better for me.’
That’s the message Kevin wants his kids to understand about who he is, ‘That I do what I believe,’ no matter if it’s a hit like 1990’s Dances with Wolves or a box office poison like 1995’s Waterworld and 1997’s The Postman. .
‘I’m scared like everyone else. “I don’t want to be humiliated,” Costner said.
‘I mean, okay, maybe I’ll lose the (beachfront property in Santa Barbara).’ But it’s: “Have I lost myself?”
The Emmy winner added: “I am more in danger now than ever. There is, damn it, some animal… There are eight down there that love me. And I’ll be a hairball if I fall to the ground. So I’m up here. I’m further away than ever.