'Yellowstone' star Kevin Costner reveals why he will never enter politics
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA: In 'Yellowstone' Season 5, Kevin Costner plays the governor of Montana, but it turns out that the actor has no desire to enter politics in real life. The 67-year-old actor was asked about whether his new on-screen character would affect any personal aspirations while promoting the new season of the Paramount Network series. Speaking with USA Today, Costner acknowledged that there was no reason for him to run. He said, "No, I don't think there's any reason for me to run... though I wish the people that did run had a bigger vision and more of a morality about how they see the country evolving.”
Costner also added that he was "disappointed" by the politicians running for office. Costner hasn't shied away from endorsing political causes even if he does not see himself as a candidate. He backed Pete Buttigieg, the Transportation Secretary under President Joe Biden, during the 2020 presidential race. He also sported a shirt endorsing Wyoming US Representative Liz Cheney. Cheney lost the Republican primary in August because of her vocal criticism of former President Donald Trump.
RELATED ARTICLES
'Yellowstone' star Kevin Costner becomes HIGHEST-PAID star on TV with $1.3M per episode
'It's easy to be popular': Kevin Costner dismisses lack of industry recognition for 'Yellowstone'
The two-time Oscar winner told USA Today, defending his endorsements, “Just because you lose doesn't mean you're done; it doesn't mean you're even wrong. I was clear that (Cheney) probably wasn't going to win her election. But I wanted to let her know, as a citizen, how much I appreciated her brave, clear-headed stance."
Costner also acknowledged that his various political stances invited criticism from 'Yellowstone' fans. However, he asserted that he was unconcerned by criticism from them regarding his political stances. The filmmaker of ‘Dances With Wolves’ remarked, "I didn't really care how the cookie crumbles, that people that liked me now don't like me. That's OK." Meanwhile, in regard to his character John Dutton, Costner said that he was aware that leaving his cherished Yellowstone Ranch after being sworn into government would be difficult for him.
He said, “I know how hard it's going to be on him. His heart is at the ranch, not trying to find a middle ground with people. That's going to be problematic. He has a lane that he operates in that is not as expansive as some would want it to be. And he won't change.” In addition, he said that although he had only intended to work on one season of 'Yellowstone', he no longer has any intentions to do so. “I was only going to do one season, but I've done this many. I give everything I can to what I'm doing. But the moment I feel that it's not right, I'm just going to step away,” he remarked.