Kevin Costner Speaks Passionately About The Need To 'Protect' America: 'That Is A Public Service'

Kevin Costner is as passionate as ever about America and its history, as he recently talked about what the Fourth of July means to him.

The "Yellowstone" star spoke about the importance of "protecting" America, a sentiment he has shared many times.

Kevin Costner's latest film, "Horizon: An American Saga," revolves around American history and was partially funded by the actor.

Costner is sharing his love for America and the true meaning of the Fourth of July with his fans. During a recent interview with Fox News Digital, the "Yellowstone" star spoke about why it's important to celebrate July 4th, which is Independence Day for the United States of America.

He said, "It is an opportunity to look back at the journey of America, and before America was America. There is something to protect here. There is something to celebrate."

Costner further discussed the need to be selfless when it comes to protecting America, noting that people tend to put their egos first. He said Americans should always make it their priority to do "what is good for the nation."

The actor continued, "That is a public service. [It] should be about the public, to begin with. Not about someone's next four years. It can't be. It has to be first and foremost about what's broken here, and there's always gonna be something to be done. How we fit in the world? What is our place?"

The topic of America, politics, and history is close to Costner's heart and is always highlighted during his interviews and films. The actor's most recent film, "Horizon: An American Saga," revolves around American history, focusing on the expansion of the American West from ocean to ocean.

Costner also used the film to detail the plight of the Native Americans who suffered during the expansion.

In a May 2024 interview with Entertainment Weekly, he spoke about the importance of showing the Native Americans' experience when talking about American history.

He said, "You can't tell the story unless you bump into that. You can't talk about anything without understanding who was here before us. Our national appetite ran over culture after culture, with a high level of genocide. The people that were here for thousands of years were suddenly an inconvenience in their own land, and we should never forget that."

Costner was heavily invested in the creation of "Horizon: An American Saga." He was so determined to make the film that he partially funded the production himself.

The actor reportedly contributed over $20 million to the film's budget from his personal bank account. The extra funds allowed the production team to create a star-studded cast for the film.

In addition to Costner, "Horizon" also stars Sienna Miller, Sam Worthington, Giovanni Ribisi, Jena Malone, Luke Wilson, Isabelle Fuhrman, Will Patton, Tatanka Means, Owen Crow Shoe, and Ella Hunt.

Costner also cast two of his kids in the movie, with his son Hayes appearing in the first part, and his elder son appearing in the second installment of the film.

During his recent appearance on "CBS Mornings," Costner opened up once again about his divorce from Baumgartner.

The two share three children — Cayden Wyatt, 17, Hayes Logan, 15, and Grace Avery, 14 — whom Costner continues to support with monthly child support payments.

According to the two-time Academy Award winner, the loss of his marriage took an emotional toll on him, one that he found shocking.

He described the divorce as "a crushing moment," adding, "It's powerful and it hurt." Although the actor didn't specify how long he mourned, he did reveal that the key to moving on was his need to be there for his children, knowing that they are "looking at" him.

"I have to go forward, I have to continue to be who I am and keep a special eye on who they are," the 69-year-old added, per Page Six.

The star of the hit Paramount Network series "Yellowstone" took to his Instagram account to share an update on the reprisal of his John Dutton character on the show.

"An update for you guys. I'll see you at the movies," he captioned the video post.

"I want to reach out and let you know that after this long year and a half of working on Horizon and doing all the things that's required, and thinking about Yellowstone, that beloved series that I love, that I know you love, I just realized that I'm not going to be able to continue Season 5B or into the future," he said.

Costner continued, "It was something that really changed me. I loved it. And I know you loved it. And I just wanted to let you know that I won't be returning and I love the relationship we've been able to develop and I'll see you at the movies."