How Kevin Costner Brings Family Into His Films by Casting His Parents

Get the Scoop on Yellowstone Star Kevin Costner’s Special Bond with His Parents

Fans of Yellowstone are eagerly awaiting the show’s final episodes, set to air this November. Among those excited is Ree Drummond, a big fan of the series—even if her celebrity crush, Kevin Costner, may not be around much longer on the show. But there’s even more reason to admire Costner: long before he became John Dutton, he was his parents’ beloved son—and he even cast them in his movies.

Sharon and William Costner were fiercely supportive throughout Kevin’s life and career. “My parents followed me everywhere… they came to my Little League games and everything,” Costner once revealed. Eventually, they made their way onto the big screen alongside their son. Sharon appeared as a background actor in Tin Cup (1986) and For Love of the Game (1999)—which happens to be one of Ree Drummond’s favorite baseball films! Imagine sharing your passion so deeply that your mom and dad become part of it—that’s true family dedication.

When Costner directed his first film, Dances with Wolves (1990), his parents were there every step of the way. They even had their own trailer parked near the South Dakota filming location. “Every morning, I’d look up the hill and see my mom waving from two lawn chairs by the motorhome,” he shared on The Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson in 2014.

Costner gave his dad a small but memorable role in the movie. “I asked him, ‘Want to be in the movie, want to save me?’ and he said, ‘Yeah,’” Costner recalled. Their characters shared an intense moment: “I’m about to give up my life when the soldier about to shoot me gets shot in the forehead. Then it cuts back to my dad holding the gun.” The film went on to win seven Academy Awards, including Best Director for Costner.

Though Sharon and William have since passed away, their legacy lives on in Kevin’s work. So next time you watch one of his movies, keep an eye out for his biggest fans—his parents.