“Kevin Costner Reflects on the Unforgettable Cinematic Moment That Helped Him Outshine Scorsese and Coppola for Best Director”

Kevin Costner is widely recognized today for his role in the neo-Western series Yellowstone, but his career has been a wild ride since the ’80s and ’90s. From his memorable performance in the beloved sports drama Field of Dreams to the troubled production of Waterworld, Costner has experienced the highs and lows of Hollywood.

His most significant achievement came with his directorial debut, Dances with Wolves, which not only became a box office hit but also earned him Oscars for Best Director and Best Picture. Costner recently recalled a particularly challenging scene that took six days to film and required a favor from a former governor to pull off.

Costner’s Oscar-Winning Directorial Debut

In 1991, Dances with Wolves received twelve Academy Award nominations, including Best Picture, Best Director, and Best Actor. Competing against cinematic giants like Francis Ford Coppola for The Godfather Part III and Martin Scorsese for Goodfellas, Costner faced tough competition. While Coppola had already won Oscars for his previous Godfather films, Scorsese’s Goodfellas remains a landmark in gangster cinema, featuring powerhouse performances from Ray Liotta and Robert De Niro.

Alongside Costner, other nominees included Stephen Frears for The Grifters and Barbet Schroeder for Reversal of Fortune. Ultimately, at the 63rd Academy Awards, Dances with Wolves triumphed, taking home seven Oscars, including Best Picture and Best Director. Reflecting on his decision to direct, Costner shared with GQ, “I asked three prominent directors to consider directing it, and each had different ideas about the script. I realized I needed to direct it—not because I thought I could do it better, but because I wanted to bring it to life as it was written.”

The film became only the second Western ever to win Best Picture, reviving interest in the genre, alongside films like Unforgiven and No Country for Old Men.

The Challenging Buffalo Scene

Dances with Wolves tells the story of Union officer John Dunbar, who forms a bond with a Sioux tribe while stationed at the American frontier. A standout moment in the film is the buffalo hunt scene, which was particularly challenging to film. Costner revealed that the sequence took six days and involved over 3,500 buffalo.

He explained the complexities of filming to GQ: “I was grateful the buffalo existed at all, and then I had to negotiate with the rancher—who was a former lieutenant governor—about chasing them. He initially questioned, ‘You want to chase my buffalo?’ I was young and determined, and he eventually agreed. He got in his truck with five others and even a helicopter, and we began our chase for six days.”

Costner noted that while the first day didn’t yield many shots, he quickly adjusted his approach, leading to an impressive final sequence. He humorously added that by the end of the six days, the buffalo were fed up and charged at the helicopter, clearly expressing their displeasure.