Kevin Costner Reveals Explosive Clash With Yankees Legend That Almost Derailed His Classic Film

Kevin Costner chats pinch Michael Strahan astir his iconic sports films astatine Fanatics Fest astatine nan Javits Center successful New York, NY connected June 20, 2025. (Nikolas Lanum/ Fox News)

Hollywood icon Kevin Costner revealed caller specifications astir an statement he had pinch erstwhile New York Yankees proprietor George Steinbrenner during a caller tell-all panel.

Costner discussed nan little-known communicative during an quality astatine Fanatics Fest 2025. The sheet he joined, titled "Sports Films Hall of Fame," was hosted by erstwhile NFL protect extremity and media characteristic Michael Strahan.

He recalled erstwhile Steinbrenner abruptly canceled nan first shooting of nan 1999 movie "For Love of nan Game" astatine Yankee Stadium, arsenic nan business executive was upset nan Yankees mislaid successful nan movie’s ending.

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Kevin Costner wore a tan suit and brownish loafers arsenic he posed for photos astatine nan US Premiere of "Horizon: An American Saga - Chapter 1." (Photo by Frazer Harrison/Getty Images)

"Now I'm thinking, I'm dormant unless I opportunity something," Costner shared pinch his audience. He past said he started doing a "tap dance" to person Steinbrenner to fto him movie wrong nan stadium and called nan full business "f----- up."

However, Costner was capable to sway nan passionate owner, emphasizing that nan crippled nan Yankees mislaid successful during nan movie was yet "meaningless."

"I said, 'it's a meaningless game, George,'" he said. "'And I'm going to dainty nan Yankees pinch nan respect that you want to dainty them with.'"

Costner was yet capable to sprout astatine Yankee Stadium, and "For Love of nan Game" was made. The real-life Yankees went connected to triumph nan World Series successful 1999, and to his surprise, Costner moreover received a typical executive ringing for nan team’s championship.

"[Steinbrenner] was very tin of blowing up, and he was besides tin of nan astir elephantine gestures that you tin imagine," he added.

During nan wide-ranging interview, Costner besides dove into really he utilized lessons from nan sports films he starred successful to navigate relationships pinch different actors and producers. 

"I person had actors and actresses effort to thief maine and play for maine and that's nan measurement I americium pinch my direction: ‘I want to triumph for my coach,’" he said. "And those are nan benignant of actors I emotion to direct."

He moreover explained that he sometimes uses a chalkboard erstwhile mapping retired to his squad really to enactment retired a definite scene, overmuch for illustration a shot coach would tie plays successful nan locker room during halftime.

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"There's a batch connected nan statement successful sports and successful nan movies," Costner said. "So let's get down to nan chalkboard, and let’s not make a mistake."

"My committedness is I'm not going to fto them look bad," he added. "Their committedness is you request to get to nan group connected clip and get retired of that constitution chair; get to me. Let's person a longer time location — nary f------ around, nary pouting."

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Costner besides reflected connected his activity pinch chap legendary character Burt Lancaster successful nan 1989 movie "Field of Dreams" arsenic different illustration of his activity connected nan group of his films.

"This feline was a superstar. He was amazing, but was having trouble," he said astir Lancaster. "He didn't want maine to enactment connected nan group — he asked if I would leave. He was embarrassed, and I said, ‘I'm not going anywhere. You're doing this perfectly.' And he hung successful there, and he sewage it right, because he's a professional."

"You negociate to triumph connected your worst day," he continued. "And Burt that night, while he was humiliated, he recovered it successful himself to get those lines correct that now unrecorded everlastingly successful that movie."

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Potentially Costner's astir well-known sports movie is "Field of Dreams." (Photo by Universal/Getty Images)

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