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IGN talks to Oscar-winner Kevin Costner about his role in History Channel's new mini-series, where he plays Devil Anse Hatfield opposite Bill Paxton's Randall McCoy.
The ambitious, star-studded mini-series, Hatfields & McCoys - about the historic generations-spanning family feud - premieres on Memorial Day at 9/8c on History and features Oscar-winner Kevin Costner as Devil Anse Hatfield and Bill Paxton as Randall McCoy.
Mare Winningham, Powers Boothe, Tom Berenger, Lindsay Pulsipher, Jena Malone and Matt Barr help round out the cast in this gritty, Civil War-era story that dives deep into the heart of the bitter, blood-soaked feud of legend. IGN had a chance to talk to modern Western icon Kevin Costner about this project, which spans across three nights, and his decision to take his big screen persona to TV for a historical drama.
“I felt the authenticity of the writing,” Costner said. “And I was surprised by the violence. I was interested in what was really going on culturally at that point and being able to kind of immerse myself in that era. So I got involved with it the way I do all the projects that I get involved with. I liked the writing. It wasn't story itself per se, it was the writing of the story.”
How much did Costner know about the Hatfield/McCoy feud before he took on this project? “I guess the truth is I probably knew a little bit more than the average bear,” he confessed. “I like American history and so I was aware of the participants and a lot of the story. Obviously I became more aware of it as read this script and then from doing my own research.”
Kevin Costner as Devil Anse Hatfield.
Costner, who’s spent his career on the big screen, knows how important it is the stand out on TV. Especially in a mini-series, which is a format that isn’t as prevalent today as it once was. “I think that you have to try and raise the bar in whatever you do,” he said. “In this day and age of having to deal with a lot of reality TV people say that scripted TV is dying you just have to try to create something that can live in people's mind long after they see it. And so I start with the idea that I don't want to make something that can just be dismissed the next day. That it’s maybe something you want to revisit. Maybe it's something you want to share just the same way when you hear a great song or read a great book you go I'm going to tell somebody about this.”
“We did [Hatfields & McCoys] without a lot of bells and whistles,” Costner continued. “We did it in Romania. We weren't living off any perks. I guess if you would compare our budget to most cable things that are of six hours, we would probably have a third of that budget. So I felt that we were armed with our story. ‘The play’s the thing,’ was in my mind. And you know I think we did a lot for a little.”
Costner doesn’t know what kind of audience is out there for this kind of Western TV drama, but he hopes that viewers are still able to find it and tune into in during the holiday. “I mean, you know, it's Memorial weekend. People are going to be drunk, right?” he joked. “So let’s hope they find the Lay-Z Boy and they sit down and watch three nights of the Hatfields and McCoys.”
Hatfields & McCoys premieres on Monday, May 28th and then continues on the 29th and 30th.
The ambitious, star-studded mini-series, Hatfields & McCoys - about the historic generations-spanning family feud - premieres on Memorial Day at 9/8c on History and features Oscar-winner Kevin Costner as Devil Anse Hatfield and Bill Paxton as Randall McCoy.
Mare Winningham, Powers Boothe, Tom Berenger, Lindsay Pulsipher, Jena Malone and Matt Barr help round out the cast in this gritty, Civil War-era story that dives deep into the heart of the bitter, blood-soaked feud of legend. IGN had a chance to talk to modern Western icon Kevin Costner about this project, which spans across three nights, and his decision to take his big screen persona to TV for a historical drama.
“I felt the authenticity of the writing,” Costner said. “And I was surprised by the violence. I was interested in what was really going on culturally at that point and being able to kind of immerse myself in that era. So I got involved with it the way I do all the projects that I get involved with. I liked the writing. It wasn't story itself per se, it was the writing of the story.”
How much did Costner know about the Hatfield/McCoy feud before he took on this project? “I guess the truth is I probably knew a little bit more than the average bear,” he confessed. “I like American history and so I was aware of the participants and a lot of the story. Obviously I became more aware of it as read this script and then from doing my own research.”
Kevin Costner as Devil Anse Hatfield.
Costner, who’s spent his career on the big screen, knows how important it is the stand out on TV. Especially in a mini-series, which is a format that isn’t as prevalent today as it once was. “I think that you have to try and raise the bar in whatever you do,” he said. “In this day and age of having to deal with a lot of reality TV people say that scripted TV is dying you just have to try to create something that can live in people's mind long after they see it. And so I start with the idea that I don't want to make something that can just be dismissed the next day. That it’s maybe something you want to revisit. Maybe it's something you want to share just the same way when you hear a great song or read a great book you go I'm going to tell somebody about this.”
“We did [Hatfields & McCoys] without a lot of bells and whistles,” Costner continued. “We did it in Romania. We weren't living off any perks. I guess if you would compare our budget to most cable things that are of six hours, we would probably have a third of that budget. So I felt that we were armed with our story. ‘The play’s the thing,’ was in my mind. And you know I think we did a lot for a little.”
Costner doesn’t know what kind of audience is out there for this kind of Western TV drama, but he hopes that viewers are still able to find it and tune into in during the holiday. “I mean, you know, it's Memorial weekend. People are going to be drunk, right?” he joked. “So let’s hope they find the Lay-Z Boy and they sit down and watch three nights of the Hatfields and McCoys.”
Hatfields & McCoys premieres on Monday, May 28th and then continues on the 29th and 30th.
