Actor Kevin Costner recently opened up about the challenges of making his next project, Black and White, a movie he describes as “a film about the notion of racism in this country and how we have such a
difficult time talking about it.”

In a plot that sounds similar to 1995’s Losing Isaiah, Costner plays a widower who winds up raising his bi-racial granddaughter in hopes that she doesn’t fall under custody of her black father (Andre Holland), a drug addict. Octavia Spencer co-stars as the girl’s paternal grandmother, who feels that her grandchild should live with her dad. 

At a recent press conference for his upcoming sports drama Draft Day, Costner mentioned the new project when he was asked about how he lets his instincts inform his career: 

“My whole life has been instinctual… I have instinctually thought I
could do things in my life, and I followed that up by sometimes putting everything
I have at risk – my money, my house – to make a movie. I just did it again with
Black and White.”

Besides starring, Costner also produced the film and it sounds as if the effort meant considerable sacrifice, with Costner calling it “a rock that I had to push uphill just to make it”:

“Nobody wanted to make it. It’s my hope that
you all see it. It’s my hope that it becomes as important as Field of Dreams or Dances [With Wolves]. I
think it will be, because it’s about people. It’s funny, it’s poignant, it’s
sad, and in the end it gives you hope.”

On the reactions he’s gotten from others
who learn he’s made a movie about race:

“I realize that I’m not in battle. I’m not in
combat. ‘Ooh, that’s very brave thing to do.’ Well, I’m not in
Vietnam. I’m not in Iraq. And if I want to make a little movie about racism, I should do
it. Maybe the studio should too.”

On how his projects will be received, Costner says he isn’t worried: 

“I’ve never been afraid of things not working. I think it’s an underrated
experience in life. I’ve had some wild, wild successes. I try to clean up the oceans, and I try to do things. I’m not afraid to be on the floor.

“I have a strong belief that what I’m doing, other people will believe in it too if I can get it just right. Not that people don’t let me down, not that I haven’t let other people down, but
I have a tremendous belief in people and in the common experience.”

The commentary sounds pretty similar to others in Hollywood who’ve tried to make movies about race, or black characters in general. George Lucas’ comments about getting Red Tails made come to mind. 

Black and White is currently listed as being in post production. There’s no word yet on a distributor or release date.