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Kevin Costner has become a household name in Hollywood. He has been an important part of the film industry for decades, starring in some of the most critically acclaimed projects of all time. On top of being an icon, he has also managed to hold onto immense success, having been a part of beloved series likeYellowstone,and his recent film,Horizon: An American Saga – Chapter 1.

Kevin Costner as Lt. John J. Dunbar in Dances With Wolves | Orion Pictures

However, when one is in the prime of their career, they often have to let go of something to reach somewhere else. Unfortunately, the opportunity they pass on can often end up being the biggest mistake of their life.

Costner has had this experience two times in his career. While there is one film that he does not regret letting go of, there is one that has taken on the role of his biggest mistake.

tim robbins the shawshank redemption

Kevin Costner Does Not Regret Letting Go ofThe Shawshank Redemption

The Shawshank Redemptionhas been regarded as one of the most critically acclaimed and respected films of all time. Directed by Frank Darabont, the movie had an excellent cast, and premise, and made a case for itself like no other. It became iconic in many ways, even being nominated for seven Oscars in all major categories.

While many would argue that the film was perfect in every way, they would be surprised to know just how different it almost was. In aVanity Fairinterview, it was revealed that the character of Andy Dufresne was very confusing to cast until the producers decided on Tim Robbins.

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Offers went out to the 1990s’ usual suspects for the part of Andy Dufresne. Tom Hanks and Kevin Costner passed.

“I can’t watch the Beth Jamie storyline drag out any longer”: Kevin Costner’s Exit Makes the Most Annoying Yellowstone Storyline Even Worse That Taylor Sheridan Needs to Solve in the Final Season

Interestingly enough,The Terminalactor, Tom Hanks, and the belovedKevin Costnerwere also approached for the role. Unfortunately, they rejected the opportunity.

Kevin Costner’s Biggest Regret

While many would assume that because of the missed opportunity,The Shawshank Redemptionwas Kevin Costner’s biggest regret. However, according toFarout Magazine, the answer is a lot different. The 1986 film,Platoon,is well regarded for many reasons. From its cast full of A-listers like Johnny Depp, Willem Dafoe, and Charlie Sheen to its multiple Oscar wins, critical acclaim was only one of its achievements.

Interestingly enough, Costner was asked to be a part of the movie but he ended up rejecting the offer. The reason behind the decline was that the film followed a story centered on the Vietnam War, and Costner had a very personal reason why he did not wish to portray the subject.

Willem Dafoe in Platoon. (1986) | Credit: Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer.

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The one role that I regret refusing. My brother Dan was a Marine in Vietnam and had a problem with Vietnam movies that show vets as wigged-out guys. He’s very proud that he came back, went to college, and has a family. In fact, Platoon was real and right. But my consciousness was with my brother.

While the explanation does make a lot of sense, it was unfortunate when he realized, later on, that the movie actually did justice to those who fought in the war and went completely with his brother’s beliefs. Knowing this, the actor has labeled it to be the biggest regret of his professional life.

“I’ll do what you want to do”: Taylor Sheridan Would’ve Never Been Okay With Kevin Costner Offering Yellowstone Writers a Grisly Option to Kick John Dutton Out of the Show

The Shawshank RedemptionandPlatoonare available for streaming on Netflix and Prime Video respectively.

Ananya Godboley

Senior Writer

Articles Published :2219

Ananya Godboley is a Senior Entertainment Writer at FandomWire, majorly focusing on TV shows, with over 2,000 articles published. She has been an entertainment journalist for the past two years. Currently pursuing an undergraduate degree in psychology from K.R. Mangalam University, Ananya also likes to fangirl as a full-time job. She covers news and analyses on anything from Rick and Morty to Hannibal and even Arcane. In between these lines, she also enjoys superheroes and Taylor Swift.A philosophy enthusiast, Ananya enjoys digging deeper into the media she consumes, trying to understand the root of her favorite characters' behavior.

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