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Kevin Costner, when not occupied with the affairs of the Yellowstone ranch, has also played a pivotal role in revitalizing the acting industry. It turns out that he played a significant part in reigniting Gene Hackman’s passion for acting after the two collaborated on the acclaimed 1987 film “No Way Out.”
“No Way Out” is widely recognized by critics as one of Kevin Costner’s standout films, particularly outside of the Western genre. This gripping thriller from the ’80s follows navy officer Tom Farrell (portrayed by Costner) as he is assigned by Defense Secretary David Brice (played by Hackman) to investigate the murder of Susan Atwell (portrayed by Sean Young). Complicating matters, both Brice and Farrell were romantically involved with Atwell. As the plot unravels, Farrell uncovers that Brice is the one responsible for her tragic demise.
Costner recounted a significant conversation he had with Hackman during their time on set, which he shared during an interview with the SAG-AFTRA Foundation.
“As I was heading out to my car and Gene was heading to his, he says, ‘Hey, can I talk to you?'” remembered the cast member of Yellowstone.
“[Hackman] said, ‘You know, I watched you today and I’ve gone through a divorce not three years ago, and I’ve been doing a lot of subpar movies and I’ve been trying to pay for this divorce, and I didn’t feel about acting the way I’ve felt, you know for a long time. [But] I watched you today. I used to feel like that. And I was really happy to see you do that.'”
Costner went on to share that Hackman then got into his car and drove away. “It was a pivotal moment for me because I had been contemplating this script extensively,” he reflected. “Perhaps more so than some of the individuals involved in its creation. And it was a moment where I anticipated [Gene] might be very forthright with me, and I was prepared to listen. However, he surprised me. He approached the conversation with a deep respect for me, and that’s something I’ll never forget.”