Kevin Costner Shares How He “Traps” His Kids in the ‘Horizon’ Films

Family Takes Center Stage for Kevin Costner

Oscar-winning actor Kevin Costner recently shared with Fox News Digital that his 15-year-old son, Hayes, isn’t the only Costner to showcase his acting talents in “Horizon: An American Saga.”

“They’re all supportive of each other,” Costner remarked about his seven children. “My oldest son has a scene in chapter two, and he has a small part again.” He added with a laugh, “I just try to find ways to trap them.”

Costner shares sons Hayes, 15, and Cayden, 17, and daughter Grace, 14, with ex-wife Christine Baumgartner, from whom he finalized his divorce in February after 18 years of marriage. He also has three adult children—Annie, Lily, and Joe—with ex-wife Cindy Silva, as well as son Liam, 26, with former partner Bridget Rooney. While his older son debuts in the second chapter of “Horizon,” Hayes, who signed on for the first film at just 13, has a key role as Nathaniel Kittredge.

Reflecting on working with Hayes, Costner described the experience as incredibly special. “He was good, he listened, he cared… I’m just so happy he has this to hold onto for the rest of his life,” he said. “I haven’t pushed my children into this, and this might be his only foray into acting, but he’s memorable. I’ll never forget it.” Hayes filmed for two weeks, giving father and son precious bonding time.

“In a way, it was a smaller part,” Costner explained to “Today.” “Selfishly, I wanted him with me during those weeks. We’d drive to the set together every day, and he was a bit nervous, but he shines in a really complicated scene.”

The first trailer for the four-part post-Civil War drama was released in February, highlighting the Wild West landscape that Costner is known for, dating back to his directorial debut with “Dances with Wolves.” In addition to starring in the film, Costner also directed “Horizon,” based on a script he co-wrote with John Baird. The impressive ensemble cast features Sienna Miller, Sam Worthington, Luke Wilson, Abbey Lee, Jena Malone, and Giovanni Ribisi.

However, the film came at a significant financial cost, reportedly amounting to millions out of Costner’s own pocket, which was disclosed during his divorce proceedings. He later clarified the figure, stating, “They say I’ve got $20 million of my own money in this movie; that’s not true. I’ve put in about $38 million. That’s the real number.”