Classic American film director John Huston, whose filmography includes The Maltese Falcon In This Our Life, and The Treasure of the Sierra Madre, was known for being picky towards the end of his career. And during an ill-fated meeting between himself and Kevin Costner, that became wildly apparent.
Huston was meeting with Kevin Costner, who is now mostly known for leading the Yellowstone cast, about a potential project Huston would direct, but things went poorly.
Coster was looking to move forward with new movies in his career, namely Revenge, but Huston had seen him in other films and apparently “wasn’t impressed,” as reported in ‘The Hustons‘ [via The New York Times]. Many Yellowstone fans may think he’s one of the best actors of all time, but Huston sure didn’t.
”After they shook hands, tea was served and Costner mentioned that he saw similarities between Revenge and certain stories of King Arthur. Huston looked at Costner, then stared out at the Moore and Manzu sculptures in Ray Stark’s garden and began to whistle.”
As awkward tension filled the air, Huston turned to producer Ray Stark, without having acknowledged Coster, and said, ”I’m an ill man and I don’t know how you could do this to me. I’ve been in this business 50-odd years and you are telling me that I’ve got to work with this little guy?” Huston was a heavy smoker and was diagnosed with emphysema in 1978.
Huston, unsurprisingly, passed on Revenge. The Hustons also makes note that he was a complicated and grumpy figure towards the end of his life and that his behavior at this meeting was indicative of that.
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