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Kevin Costner appeared in one of his most controversial roles as New Orleans district attorney Jim Garrison inJFK. The film came from Oliver Stone who was having a pretty great repertoire in the ’80s and ’90s. Despite the success of the film, the controversy surrounding the film gave Stone the image of a conspiracy theorist.
While he has no regrets about his film, he expressed 25 years later that he wished the talk around the film had died down soon. The film received critical acclaim and Costner’s performance in the film was praised by many.JFKwent on to win the Academy Awards for Best Cinematography and Best Film Editing.
Kevin Costner’sJFKRuined Oliver Stone’s Image By Branding Him As A Controversial Director
Oliver Stone‘sJFKexplored an alternate myth to the assassination of former US President John F. Kennedy. The film raised several questions about the political landscape of the country at the time of its release.Kevin Costnerplayed attorney Jim Garrison who didn’t believe the official version of the assassination as per Warren Commission’s findings.
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Garrison believed that there was a conspiracy theory to overthrow Kennedy and place Lyndon B. Johnson in the President’s chair. He believed that Lee Harvey Oswald was just a scape goat in the big picture. Oliver Stone and writer Zachary Sklar adapted the screenplay from two books,On the Trail of the Assassinsby Garrison andCrossfire: The Plot That Killed Kennedyby Jim Marrs.
Stone was accused of spreading liesas soon as the film hit theaters. During the 25th anniversary of the film in 2016, Stone shared with Variety that the film was a“hot potato”right from the start and believed that it rubbed the establishment the wrong way. AfterJFK, many viewers dismissed him as a political director and a conspiracy theorist. Stone toldVariety:
It was a hot potato from the get-go, much hotter than I thought. I didn’t realize it would hit the central nerve core of the establishment … And it did take its toll. I think it’s changed the perception of me forever. Many now dismiss me as a filmmaker who is political and only into conspiracy theories. It labeled me and I was staggered. I wish, in a way, it had just died off.
Stone spent the next six months defending the film in the press. Stone shared that the media was“nasty”and recalled moments when he didn’t even get to refer to his research during interviews. However,Stone did not try to stay away from other political filmsas he directedNixonandW.based on the lives of two other US Presidents.
He also produced a trilogy on the US involvement in the Vietnam War. One of the films in the trilogy wasPlatoonwhich hadJohnny Deppin it. Another film in the trilogy wasBorn on the Fourth of July, starringTom Cruise.
Kevin Costner Defended The Controversial Film
Kevin Costner’s patriarch inYellowstonenor his role in the Oscar-winningDances with Wolvesrole were nearlysharp and controversial as his JFK role. Costner embraced the role in the Oliver Stone film and even stuck to the director’s tight filming schedule.
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Costner defended the film amidst its controversy and even 25 years later, when he shared with Variety that the film had prompted people to question those in power. He shared that the film’s success was not just measured by box office but also by its impact on people. TheHorizonstar shared with Variety:
[JFK] has a chance for generations to visit it when they come of an age where that interests them, and the questions posed are really important. There was a shift in the country. We used to think — my parents thought, certainly — that people in power told you the truth, and it’s really not always the case. We’ve seen that for the last 60 years.
JFKdid have the impact that Costner mentioned as it was partially credited for the JFK Act which reversed the decision to seal official records of the assassination from the public until 2029. Most of the documents were made public in 2017. The film did not do bad at the box office either, collecting $205 million (via Box Office Mojo).
JFKis now available for rent on AppleTV+.
Hashim Asraff
Senior Writer
Articles Published :3019
Hashim Asraff is a Senior Entertainment Writer at FandomWire, with over 2,800 articles published on celebrity culture, comic book movies, and major TV franchises. With a background in Sociology and a keen interest in pop culture, Hashim brings a unique lens to breaking news stories, character deep-dives, film rankings, and fan-driven perspectives.His coverage often includes the MCU, DCU, hit network shows, and celebrity profiles, giving readers a rich blend of entertainment and analysis. A longtime fan of crime and investigative series, Hashim has watched thousands of episodes of NCIS, Criminal Minds, Law & Order: SVU, Bones, Blue Bloods, and The RookieA passionate storyteller and wordsmith, Hashim has also worked as a ghostwriter and managed multiple social media handles. He brought his writing expertise to FandomWire to also pursue his lifelong love for cinema and television.
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