The iconic Kevin Costner movie Paul Newman turned down: “This was a much better part”
Every actor who grew up watching Paul Newman onscreen would have loved nothing more than to work with the legendary star who helped define an era, and Kevin Costner was no different.
Even though he was raised on a steady diet of John Wayne and John Ford westerns, which goes without saying based on his evident love for the genre, Costner was one of many enamoured by Newman’s piercing blue eyes and effortless command of his craft.
They eventually got the chance to work together, but it wasn’t Costner’s first attempt at acquiring his services. The results were hardly spectacular, though, even if Luis Mandoki’s romantic drama Message in a Bottle was a resounding success that made its budget back almost four times over from cinemas.
Costner earned a Razzie nomination for ‘Worst Actor’, although the casting of Newman as his old man was inspired. The two carried themselves in a similar way, bore a passing resemblance, and shared several mannerisms that made them entirely believable as father and son, matters that were admittedly helped by the veteran being seemingly incapable of delivering a subpar performance.
That wasn’t even the first time Costner tried to convince Newman to play his dad, and it would have happened in a much more memorable film. Then again, does anyone really remember too much about The Bodyguard other than a couple of scenes and Whitney Houston’s all-conquering cover of Dolly Parton’s ‘I Will Always Love You’?
The romance was the second highest-grossing release of 1992 behind only Disney’s Aladdin, scooped two Academy Award nominations for ‘Best Original Song’ and spawned the bestselling movie soundtrack of all time. On the other side of the coin, it notched seven Razzie nods, including ‘Worst Picture’, ‘Worst Actor’, and ‘Worst Actress’.
Anyone who recalls off the top of their head that character actor Ralph Waite, who’d co-starred with Newman three decades previously in Cool Hand Luke, played Herb Farmer, the father of Costner’s Frank, can call themselves a Bodyguard superfan. Hardly a memorable gig, but the leading man initially had his sights set unreasonably high.
“I wanted Paul to play my father in The Bodyguard, but he couldn’t do it, and I’m glad now because this is a much better part,” Costner admitted once he’d finally checked it off his to-do list. “He’s just great; I’ve been a fan of his for years, and to finally get to work with him was a big high, and actually, I think we’re a good match physically. I think he looks like my dad.”
Presumably, Newman would have taken third billing behind Costner and Houston had he signed on for The Bodyguard. Waite was listed fourth in the credits, and who ultimately ended up taking that spot behind the two leads? Gary Kemp of Spandau Ballet in his Hollywood debut, obviously.
