Kevin Costner’s Unforgettable Moment with Gene Hackman

Following the news of Gene Hackman’s passing, actors and filmmakers alike have shared heartfelt tributes and personal stories about working with the legendary actor. Hackman collaborated with some of cinema’s finest, including William Friedkin, Clint Eastwood, Paul Newman, and Francis Ford Coppola. Regardless of his co-stars or the strength of the script, Hackman’s natural talent always stood out. He had the look of an everyman but carried an extraordinary ability to convey complex emotions—blending rage with fear, tenderness with menace.

Among those honoring Hackman is Kevin Costner, who starred alongside him in the 1987 thriller No Way Out. Costner portrayed a young Navy officer tasked with working for a high-ranking Pentagon official, played by Hackman. When Costner’s character unknowingly begins an affair with his boss’s mistress—and she ends up dead—he quickly becomes the prime suspect.

What could have been a run-of-the-mill melodrama instead became one of the most underrated erotic thrillers of the 1980s. Even famed critic Roger Ebert praised it as “a superior example of the genre.” The success was due in part to a smart, tightly written script, but the lead performances truly elevated the film. Hackman was mesmerizing as the complex, morally ambiguous official, and Costner matched him with a gripping portrayal of a man caught in a desperate fight to prove his innocence.

Costner recalls a defining moment with Hackman after a demanding day of shooting a crucial scene at Hackman’s character’s desk, where the revelation of their shared love interest’s death occurs. Costner struggled to find the right approach—stopping and starting multiple times as he sought the perfect balance of emotion and positioning.

At the end of that day, as they both headed to their cars, Hackman called Costner over in the parking lot. Expecting a reprimand for the delays, Costner was surprised by what Hackman said instead.

“You know, I watched you today,” Hackman told him. “I went through a divorce about three years ago and ended up doing a lot of crappy movies just to pay for it. I hadn’t felt that passion for acting in a long time… But watching you today, I remembered what that feeling was like. It made me really happy to see you do what you did.”

Then Hackman got into his car and drove away, leaving Costner deeply moved. “That was a really important moment for me,” Costner has said. Hackman saw in him a fierce hunger and dedication to the craft—a spark that had been missing from the older actor’s own career for some time.

At that point, the two were at very different places professionally. Costner had yet to break out with Dances With Wolves, while Hackman was already an established Oscar-winning icon. Yet both were on the brink of landmark achievements. Four years later, Costner stunned Hollywood by winning Best Picture and Best Director Oscars for Dances With Wolves. Just three years after that, Hackman earned his second Oscar for his masterful role in Unforgiven.