Kevin Costner, who won an Oscar for his performance in a supporting role, wasted no time accepting Prince William’s invitation to a private meeting.
“I happened to be in England, and I got this message that the prince would love to talk, and I said, ‘What?’… and then I went, ‘Okay,'” recounts Costner.
The 69-year-old actor, who is ranked first in the annual 100 Reasons to Love America issue, says in this week’s cover article that he has only positive recollections of the experience.
“We met in this room, and it was just us,” he states. “He stepped up and shook our hands… His first words were, ‘You know, my mom sort of fancied you.'”
Costner, who declined to reveal what they said for the remainder of the private conversation, describes the meeting with the Prince of Wales as “very sweet.” The actor, who describes William as “quite a young man,” has “such fond memories of who he was, how I was approached, and what we talked about.”
In the years leading up to the 1992 smash blockbuster The Bodyguard—in which Whitney Houston co-starred—Costner had approached Princess Diana about the possibility of working together on a sequel. “There was a moment when that was really flying down the tracks, very quietly, because it’s how I operate,” recalls Costner, who was introduced to Princess Diana by Sarah Ferguson.
“It was very lovely. Sarah was the one who set things up. Sarah was really cool… when she might have said, ‘Well, I’m also a princess. What about me? She did not do it at all. Diana and I started talking.
Costner states, “I’ve had an incredibly unusual, and for the most part, beautiful life” as he reflects on his life and legendary 40-year Hollywood career in the cover story of this week’s issue. The hero of classics such as The Untouchables, Dances with Wolves, and Field of Dreams is also looking ahead: he has two ambitious parts of his Western epic Horizon: An American Saga, for which he cowrites, directs, and stars, coming out this summer.
Pick up this week’s edition of Reasons to Love America—available on newsstands this Friday—to read the remainder of Kevin Costner’s exclusive interview and more.
