Hollywood legend Clint Eastwood has never been one to tolerate diva behavior on his film sets, even when dealing with the biggest box office draws of the 1990s. Speaking on Dax Shepard’s Armchair Expert podcast, the director’s son, Scott Eastwood, confirmed a longstanding industry story revealing how his father swiftly humbled Kevin Costner during the production of their 1993 crime thriller, A Perfect World.
Paraphrasing the story, Scott Eastwood said:
They were doing ‘A Perfect World.’ And they’re both starring in this movie. My dad is directing it. And apparently, Kevin wouldn’t come out of his trailer for some reason.
At the absolute height of his fame, Costner reportedly refused to exit his trailer for a scheduled shoot. However, Clint Eastwood did not shy away from humbling Costner and asked the crew to “send him home.”
How Clint Eastwood Handled Kevin Costner’s Ego on A Perfect World Set
Clint Eastwood and Kevin Costner in A Perfect World/Credit: Malpaso Productions and Warner Bros.
During the early 1990s, Kevin Costner was riding an unprecedented wave of acclaim and box office dominance following hits like Dances with Wolves and The Bodyguard. However, when joining forces with Clint Eastwood on A Perfect World, Costner met a director who favored efficiency over Hollywood grandeur.
When the crew asked him to go home, the baffled Costner argued that he was meant to be in the scene. The crew informed him that the director, Clint Eastwood, had already cut him from the sequence. The stern lesson in professionalism took effect instantly, with Scott noting that Costner returned the following morning, completely ready to work.
Beyond managing egos, the incident reflected Clint Eastwood’s grounded filmmaking philosophy, which he passed down to his son. Scott Eastwood acknowledged the same and mentioned during the podcast:
He always told me, too, as a kid, ‘You want to learn how to make movies? You want to learn how to do this? You stay here with everybody else, and you make the damn movie.
Despite the brief behind-the-scenes friction, A Perfect World went on to achieve major critical acclaim, eventually grossing $135 million worldwide ( via Box Office Mojo) and earning praise as one of Costner’s finest dramatic performances and one of Eastwood’s most poignant directorial achievements.
Did Clint Eastwood make the right call, or was sending Costner home too harsh? Drop your thoughts in the comments below!
A Perfect World is currently available to rent in HD for $3.99 or to purchase digitally in HD for $9.99 on Prime Video in the US.
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