Kevin Costner on the Role He’d Rather His Family Skip: “It’s Got Some Nasty Little Bits”
Kevin Costner Reveals the Role He’d Rather Keep Hidden from His Kids
In Hollywood, it’s not uncommon for actors known for mature, adult-oriented roles to take the occasional detour into family-friendly territory—often so their kids can finally watch something they’ve been in. Kevin Costner is no exception. Though he’s starred in a few PG-rated films, there’s one performance he’d prefer his children skip entirely.
Many of Costner’s most iconic movies—Dances with Wolves, Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves, and Field of Dreams—are accessible to viewers of all ages, helping cement his status as a household name. However, a large portion of his celebrated filmography is decidedly more adult. Films like The Untouchables, The Bodyguard, Tin Cup, Bull Durham, and JFK earned R-ratings for good reason.
As a father of seven, Costner has long known that introducing his kids to the full scope of his work would take time. And some roles, he admits, are better left for when they’re a little older.
While a new generation may know him best as John Dutton, the ruthless patriarch of Yellowstone, Costner’s portrayal in the hit series marks a stark contrast from his earlier leading-man persona. In the show, Dutton will stop at nothing to protect his family’s ranch—resorting to shady deals, violence, and morally grey decisions. It’s a side of himself Costner isn’t eager for his children to witness just yet.
“It’s too naughty for them to see,” Costner confessed. “They probably do figure out how to see it. But it’s got some nasty little bits that are good fun for everybody else. Listen, a lot of my movies have those themes, so they’re going to find them in the course of their life. I hope they figure out what I’ve been doing with my life.”
Costner’s children, born between 1984 and 2010, span a wide age range. Some are already well into adulthood—three were over 30 by the time Yellowstone premiered in 2018—while others are still growing up. So it’s safe to say he’s not talking about all of them when he discusses shielding his work from young eyes.
Still, even if the violence and harsh language of Yellowstone might be a bit much for the younger ones, it likely wouldn’t be as painful as watching The Postman—a PG-13 misfire often mocked as one of his least successful outings.
Whether or not his kids are sneaking peeks behind his back, Costner knows the time will come when they understand the full scope of his career. And when they do, they’ll likely see not just the actor—but the man behind the roles.
