How Kevin Costner Became a Leading Man in Hollywood

Costner’s dream project, Dances with Wolves, nearly became a financial disaster. He poured millions of dollars into it when studios wouldn’t take a chance. The production ran long and over budget, and was plagued by setbacks, including skeptical critics who predicted it would fail.

But Costner believed in the story and stayed the course. When the film was finally released in 1990, it stunned everyone, becoming a box office smash and winning seven Academy Awards, including Best Picture and Best Director.