Published by Cel Manero from Global One Media Inc.
The lead actor from ‘Yellowstone’ narrates an eight-episode History Channel series that delves into the complex history of America’s frontier.
Kevin Costner is helping introduce Western culture to a younger audience through his numerous cowboy-themed projects like “Yellowstone,” “Horizon,” and now the History Channel’s series “The West.”
Serving as both narrator and executive producer of the eight-part documentary, Costner revealed in an interview with Fox News Digital that the stories he encountered during filming were surprisingly “tragic,” lacking many happy conclusions.
“I found that nearly all the stories were tragic. It’s strange, isn’t it? There weren’t many happy endings, even though some people succeeded at the expense of others,” he shared.
Costner highlighted the story of John Colter, often regarded as the first “mountain man.”
“I found Colter fascinating because he was perfectly adapted to living in the wilderness. Later arrivals included artists and scientists who joined expeditions, but Colter hunted for food and communicated through sign language,” Costner said.
“John Colter was a true mountain man who didn’t want to return to Washington. I felt strongly that he should stay in the wilderness, and he ended up responsible for some of the most incredible and untamed stories,” he added.
According to the History Channel, the series offers a new perspective on the vast history of the American West, exploring the fierce battles over land and how those conflicts continue to influence modern America.
Throughout production, Costner gained a deeper understanding of American history, particularly the ways settlers displaced Native Americans and imposed their beliefs.
“I learned a lot about missionaries who sought funding to travel west and bring their religion to indigenous peoples,” he reflected.
“As we traveled across the country, we shared many different stories with Native peoples, saying at first, ‘We just want to pass through, not take your land.’ But soon, that changed to demanding their land, forcing them to cut their hair, and converting their religion. We confused and manipulated them. When persuasion failed, we resorted to killing them and crafting convenient justifications for it. Many of these places no longer bear their original names; instead, we renamed them after ourselves,” Costner explained.
During his interview with Fox News Digital, Costner was accompanied by Doris Kearns Goodwin, who is also an executive producer on “The West.” Goodwin mentioned that she believed Costner was ideal for the role because of his deep spiritual connection to the West and his infectious enthusiasm.
Costner, a passionate sports fan, compared the clear-cut nature of sports to the history of the West.
“I’ve always been into sports. We both know the score — there’s no fooling anyone about who won. Sports reporting is honest and straightforward. Our other news stories aren’t always that clear, but in sports, you always find out who the winner is,” he said.
“When we think about the West, honestly, it was a harsh and dangerous place where people had to be extremely resourceful. I know some folks who want to see the raw, unfiltered truth of it — to understand how real it was and ask themselves, ‘Am I tough enough?’” Costner reflected.
He acknowledged that living in the West was challenging, and history reveals many were forced to survive there without the necessary skills or resources.
