SEATTLE - Kevin Costner plays a very bad guy doing very bad things in the new movie Criminal.
But in real life, he’s an Oscar-winning actor who’s also branched out as a musician and illustrated novel author.
"You know, you dream about maybe doing those things and think you can, and you just don't want to end up in your life saying, ‘I could have done that,’” he said. “There comes a time where you kind of have to sit down and bore into it.
He hasn't given up acting, though. Criminal opens on Friday, and Costner stars alongside Gary Oldman.
The duo last worked together 25 years ago in JFK.
We asked both Hollywood legends the same set of questions. This is a transcript of Costner's responses:
What are you most recognized for, and in your mind, are people getting it right?
"The good thing about when people come up and talk to me is I don't know what's going to come out of their mouth, and I like that my life hasn't boiled down to a single movie,” Costner said. "It will range from 10 to 12 different movies, that people will say, 'That was the one that meant the most to me.' So for me, that's very gratifying."
After so many projects, playing so many incredible roles and delivering so many incredible lines, do you have a favorite line?
“I think there's a great line I say to Annette Bening (in Open Range,) in the end when he finally gets the idea that this is his chance at love, he goes "You are the handsomest woman I ever saw,’” Costner said, smiling. "And you see that she doesn't flinch, she has such grace with it and understands that it's the highest compliment that this man can give her. And so she doesn't comment on its crudeness."
JFK was a quarter of a century ago now. Does it feel like the distant past to you, or does it feel like just yesterday?
“No, it was part of my life, I don't think of it in terms of time, you know?” Costner said. “I do measure time with my movies. I know what movie I'm working on when my children are born, when I bought a house, when I did something."
Criminal is rated R and opens in theaters on April 15.
