Kevin Costner and his co-star in Horizon Sienna Miller spoke of their deep regard for each other on Sunday as they prepared to walk the red carpet for the movie’s premiere.
British actress Miller, 42, said that she would go ‘to the ends of the earth’ for Costner.
He said of her: ‘I think she’s one of our great actresses. Her outward beauty is undeniable, but she’s so skilled as an actress.’
The films will mark a global comeback for Miller, who appeared set for superstardom 20 years ago after the buzzy Layer Cake.
A new mum – she gave birth to a daughter with boyfriend Oli Green only in January – she stunned at the photocall in an open jacket and wide-legged trousers.
Kevin Costner and his co-star in Horizon Sienna Miller spoke of their deep regard for each other on Sunday as they prepared to walk the red carpet for the movie’s premiere
British actress Miller, 42, said that she would go ‘to the ends of the earth’ for Costner. He said of her: ‘I think she’s one of our great actresses. Her outward beauty is undeniable, but she’s so skilled as an actress’
Costner, who won 7 Oscars for Dances With Wolves in 1990 spent yesterday giving media interviews at the Carlton hotel in Cannes to support Horizon: An American Saga.
It’s the first of four planned film instalments and the first two will be released in cinemas this summer.
He’s been working on the story for 30 years and mortgaged his estate in Santa Barbara, California in order to raise the finance to make the films he wanted to make.
On Sunday Costner was honoured with France’s Order of Arts and Letters in advance of walking up the famous red carpet at the Palais.
French Culture minister Rachida Dati said: ‘You represent the America of wide spaces, the America of free minds, the America of cinema and the love of culture that we share on both sides of the Atlantic.’
In a reference to his role in the 1992 blockbuster The Bodyguard she added: ‘I will always love you.’
Costner, wearing a Wild West moustache and watched by his proud children, had the ribbon medal pinned onto his white suit.
Costner said that it was a dream come true to present the film at Cannes.
He said: ‘I think in everything we do, we somehow have to stand for ourself. We have to stand for the moments that we think are important.
The films will mark a global comeback for Miller, who appeared set for superstardom 20 years ago after the buzzy Layer Cake
Sienna stars as settler Frances Kittredge. She said: ‘I grew up watching Westerns. I think my idea of cinema was a Western when I was a little girl, and then Dances With Wolves was a huge, huge part of my life’
Costner has been working on the story for 30 years and mortgaged his estate in Santa Barbara, California in order to raise the finance to make the films he wanted to make
It’s the first of four planned film instalments and the first two will be released in cinemas this summer
‘We can’t be consumed with making our pile of money bigger as much as our heart full… I don’t have to cater to the conventions of what everybody thinks. It’s like, tell your story, hope it’s engaging, believe that it’s engaging.
‘Believe that it takes you somewhere, that it’s not more important than any other story, but it’s a story that when the lights go out, it’s the one you’re watching.’
Set in the early 19h century, the film follows several groups heading west. Costner is Hayes Ellison and his own son Hayes, is also in the movie.
Sienna Miller, stars as settler Frances Kittredge. She said: ‘I grew up watching Westerns. I think my idea of cinema was a Western when I was a little girl, and then Dances With Wolves was a huge, huge part of my life.
‘I had two rabbits called Two Socks and Cisco,’ referring to the wolf and horse in that earlier Costner film. ‘I got this call that Kevin wanted to talk to me, and then I got sent four scripts and I thought it must be a series.
‘There are four of them, but they’re so big, so it didn’t really make sense. And then we had this great conversation. I’d really go to the ends of the earth for him, I think he’s phenomenal.’
Costner says that the stories of the women are central to this new Western. ‘It’s almost impossible to imagine a West without women, isn’t it? The West doesn’t carry on without women.
‘And they understand that they were basically trying to keep their families clean and fed, and women were worked to death. And if they lost their man, there’s every opportunity that their life could become something unimaginable, bad.
‘That’s why Sienna [Miller]’s character moves so quickly to bring a man into her life, because she knows how vulnerable she could be, and she doesn’t care about her reputation to do it. And we would taboo that now: That’s too quick, she’s moved too quick.’
He added: ‘I am not looking for kudos because women are in it. For me, they’re not in it, they actually dominate the movie, to be honest. Every one of those women dominate when they’re on the screen.’
Actress Wasé Chief, stars as Liluye, a woman caught up in the fight for territory between the Indigenous community and the incoming settlers. She said: ‘My dad was actually in Dances With Wolves and Kevin didn’t know that until way later.
The cast are seen together at a photocall in Cannes on Sunday afternoon
Costner says that the stories of the women are central to this new Western. ‘It’s almost impossible to imagine a West without women, isn’t it? The West doesn’t carry on without women’
‘Each character has such depth to them, and especially how he’s always portrayed Native people, I just knew I was going to be in good hands with him.
‘There’s been times when I had to turn down jobs because I was like, I don’t feel good about this the way it’s portrayed. But Kevin makes sure to make all the Native cast feel really comfortable and he just gets it. It’s like he’s just an honorary Native.’
Costner adds: ‘I thank God for Cannes. I’m an independent filmmaker, essentially, and I’m here by myself.
‘This a high moment for me because it’s helping me create awareness for a movie. I don’t have all the money in the world to expose this movie. But I have my time and a platform here.’