A mainstay of the film industry since the days of VHS tapes, Kevin Costner has made his name as an adept actor, creating a tapestry of hits that includes the heart-pounding suspense in The Bodyguard and the quintessential American charm in Bull Durham. His star soared into the stratosphere with the epic Dances with Wolves, netting him not only box-office adoration but also the coveted Oscar statuettes for Best Picture and Best Director.
The success of Costner’s TV show Yellowstone serves as further evidence that his stardom is still bright. That being said, it should come as no surprise that some people have not gotten along with the actor. His recent feud with Taylor Sheridan, as well as a throwback to a ’90s squabble with none other than Madonna, is public knowledge.
Madonna vs. Kevin Costner: A Look at the Controversial Encounter
While Kevin Costner’s on-screen magnetism has amazed viewers for years, there have been persistent reports about the Yellowstone star’s challenging personality behind the scenes. One such infamous clash was with the Queen of Pop herself, Madonna, 65, back in the 1990s.
During Madonna’s heyday in the early 1990s, she invited Costner backstage at one of her concert tours, as captured in her documentary Madonna: Truth or Dare (see Daily Express). However, the Bull Durham actor appeared to annoy her by referring to the show as “neat” after they had a courteous exchange.
Costner’s lukewarm response to her show was met with a playful but slightly mocking gesture from Madonna, as she stuck out her tongue in response:
Neat? Anybody who says my show is neat has to go.
Reflecting on the incident, Costner expressed feeling “embarrassed” and hurt by Madonna’s reaction, despite simply giving his honest opinion (see Los Angeles Times). However, fate had a surprising twist in store for the two stars a few years later. When Costner took his daughters to one of Madonna’s concerts, she took the opportunity to issue a heartfelt apology to him on stage.
Costner, 69, informed the outlet:
And about the third song in, the lights were down, and she said, ‘I want to apologize to someone.’ And all of a sudden my face starts to get hot…. And she says, ‘I want to apologize to Kevin Costner.’ She just said it very simply.
This unexpected gesture touched the actor, who appreciated Madonna’s sincerity and willingness to make amends.
Feud Fallout: Analyzing the Taylor Sheridan & Kevin Costner Dispute
Season after season, Yellowstone grew in popularity, and Kevin Costner rose to prominence as one of the highest-paid actors on television. In 2018, he inked a contract that paid him $500,000 for each episode of the Paramount Network series, according to Puck.
That is why his departure from the show—said to be due to scheduling conflicts with his big-screen passion project, Horizon: An American Saga—was all the more unexpected. According to People, Costner stated,
We tried to negotiate, they offered me less money than previous seasons, there were issues with the creative…
It is understandable why he got into strained relations with Yellowstone co-creator Taylor Sheridan. During an interview with The Hollywood Reporter, Sheridan talked about his “disappointed” feelings about Costner’s controversial exit from the show:
His creation of John Dutton is symbolic and powerful … and I’ve never had an issue with Kevin that he and I couldn’t work out on the phone. But once lawyers get involved, then people don’t get to talk to each other and start saying things that aren’t true and attempt to shift blame based on how the press or public seem to be reacting … I’m disappointed.
When questioned about how he planned to handle Costner’s character’s exit from the show, Sheridan said that developing the plot is his current top priority.
Whether [Dutton’s fate] inflates [Costner’s] ego or insults is collateral damage that I don’t factor in with regard to storytelling.
Well, sometimes, it takes a moment of vulnerability and reflection to mend broken relationships and bridge the gap between two seemingly disparate personalities.
Yellowstone Season 5’s second part will be available on November 10, 2024.
Stream Yellowstone on Paramount+.
