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Hollywood icon Kevin Costner revealed new details about an argument he had with former New York Yankees owner George Steinbrenner during a recent tell-all panel.
Costner discussed the little-known story during an appearance at Fanatics Fest 2025. The panel he joined, titled “Sports Films Hall of Fame,” was hosted by former NFL defensive end and media personality Michael Strahan.
He recalled when Steinbrenner abruptly canceled the initial shooting of the 1999 film “For Love of the Game” at Yankee Stadium, as the business executive was upset the Yankees lost in the movie’s ending.
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“Now I’m thinking, I’m dead unless I say something,” Costner shared with his audience. He then said he started doing a “tap dance” to convince Steinbrenner to let him film inside the stadium and called the whole situation “f—– up.”
However, Costner was able to sway the passionate owner, emphasizing that the game the Yankees lost in during the film was ultimately “meaningless.”
“I said, ‘it’s a meaningless game, George,'” he said. “‘And I’m going to treat the Yankees with the respect that you want to treat them with.'”
Costner was eventually able to shoot at Yankee Stadium, and “For Love of the Game” was made. The real-life Yankees went on to win the World Series in 1999, and to his surprise, Costner even received a special executive ring for the team’s championship.
“[Steinbrenner] was very capable of blowing up, and he was also capable of the most giant gestures that you can imagine,” he added.
During the wide-ranging interview, Costner also dove into how he used lessons from the sports films he starred in to navigate relationships with other actors and producers.
“I have had actors and actresses try to help me and play for me and that’s the way I am with my direction: ‘I want to win for my coach,’” he said. “And those are the kind of actors I love to direct.”
He even explained that he sometimes uses a chalkboard when mapping out to his team how to act out a certain scene, much like a football coach would draw plays in the locker room during halftime.
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“There’s a lot on the line in sports and in the movies,” Costner said. “So let’s get down to the chalkboard, and let’s not make a mistake.”
“My promise is I’m not going to let them look bad,” he added. “Their promise is you need to get to the set on time and get out of that makeup chair; get to me. Let’s have a longer day there — no f—— around, no pouting.”
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Costner also reflected on his work with fellow legendary actor Burt Lancaster in the 1989 film “Field of Dreams” as another example of his leadership on the set of his films.
“This guy was a superstar. He was amazing, but was having trouble,” he said about Lancaster. “He didn’t want me to stay on the set — he asked if I would leave. He was embarrassed, and I said, ‘I’m not going anywhere. You’re doing this perfectly.’ And he hung in there, and he got it right, because he’s a professional.”
“You manage to win on your worst day,” he continued. “And Burt that night, while he was humiliated, he found it in himself to get those lines right that now live forever in that movie.”
Fans of Costner can subscribe to Fox Nation to watch original content, including “Yellowstone to Yosemite with Kevin Costner” and “Yellowstone 150.” In addition, several of the storied actor’s most famous films are also streaming on Fox Nation.
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