With a career spanning several decades, Kevin Costner has established himself as one of the most iconic leading men along with acclaimed filmmakers in Hollywood. While the actor has recently gained recognition as the patriarch of the Dutton family in the Western drama Yellowstone, Costner also has a long-standing association with baseball movies, including the 1989 film Field of Dreams.
However, the actor later revealed that he was not the sole contender chosen to play the midwestern farmer who builds a baseball field in his backyard, as Robin Williams was also considered for the role before the filmmaker changed his mind.
Field of Dreams Director Chose Kevin Costner Over Robin Williams
Directed by Phil Alden Robinson, Field of Dreams follows a farmer who goes on to build a baseball field in his cornfield after he starts hearing voices along with visions of a baseball diamond. The film performed pretty great at the box office and even went on to earn three Oscar nominations, including Best Picture.
Kevin Costner, who took on the lead role as Ray Kinsella in the movie, later revealed that he initially believed he would not be able to do the film, as he was busy with the production of the 1990 romantic thriller, Revenge.
And for a brief period, the late actor Robin Williams was even in talks to star in the movie. “I just thought [Field of Dreams] was beautiful, but it wasn’t going to be in the cards,” Costner told Entertainment Weekly before adding, “There was an idea that maybe Robin Williams was going to do it, who I thought was sensational.”
However, Robinson chose the Yellowstone star over Williams, which even surprised Costner himself, as he believed that the Oscar-winning actor could have been great in the movie. When he asked the reason why Robinson chose him over the Jumanji star, he told him,
“And he was like, ‘I do too. But I think that Robin could hear voices in the corn, and I needed a guy that you don’t believe is going to hear a voice in a corn. And I thought that was a really insightful thing. I get a lot of credit for Field of Dreams and all the credit goes to Phil. I just played it.”
Field of Dreams has since become one of the most iconic performances of the 69-year-old actor, telling the tale of an Iowa corn farmer grappling with the fear of insignificance, while exploring the deeper theme of familial relationships and personal growth. And the actor has credited the Emmy-winning filmmaker for its success.
Kevin Costner Reflected on Why Field of Dreams is Truly Exceptional
Further into his conversation with Entertainment Weekly, Kevin Costner called the film very special to him, saying, “It is a personal favorite.” He also reflected on what makes the film truly exceptional in an appearance on Late Night with Conan O’Brien, comparing it to the classic film It’s a Wonderful Life.
“That movie is, I think that’s our generation’s Wonderful Life. It’s a Wonderful Life. And it happens. And it doesn’t matter how often you watch that movie, when you ask your dad, ‘Have a catch?’ It seems to get people and I’m just glad to have films like that.”
The Untouchables star also highlighted the magic of cinema, noting that the films have the power to create unexpected moments of connection and transcendence. He expressed his belief in the transformative potential of storytelling through films, as they hold the power to create unexpected moments of connection and transcendence. “And that’s why I believe in the movies. And that’s why I make ’em,” he said.
Field of Dreams is available on Prime Video.
