Kevin Costner proved to be a stand-up guy during an intimate scene in his new movie ... 'cause his costar says he brought a sensitive nature to filming the down and dirty.
Abbey Lee -- who stars in Costner's new movie "Horizon" -- dished on going all the way with Kevin onscreen in an interview with People ... and, she says the veteran actor brought a great deal of sensitivity to the interaction.
Lee says Costner was aware of how daunting sex scenes can be ... adding he wanted to make sure she felt comfortable while they filmed -- and, sat down for an extra-long convo about all the beats of the scene before they started shooting.
Costner made it clear to her there'd be no nudity in the scene, she explains ... adding the full conversation made her feel a little bit extra comfortable when they shot it.
That said, Abbey admits there's always a small feeling of discomfort in these intimate scenes ... especially 'cause the crew has to look on at this fake, private moment. Just a super strange feeling in her view.
The new flick opened this weekend BTW ... and, the reaction's been lackluster, to say the least. It's only made $11 million at the box office and it's got a 40% on Rotten Tomatoes -- so a shaky opening on both counts.
Bottom line ... Kevin Costner's always looking out for his fellow actors -- especially when they have to get up close and personal.
In the first part of the epic Western film, out now, Lee plays Marigold, a love interest of Costner's lead character Hayes Ellison. At one point, they have an intimate scene inside a wagon.
"Kevin was very sensitive about that," Lee, 37, tells PEOPLE. "He made sure that I was really comfortable and we had a long talk about it beforehand."
According to the Australian actress, Costner, 69, "told me how it would be shot, that there wouldn't be any nudity, that there would be nothing graphic."
"You have to talk about the details of it so you understand what's going on so everyone feels safe and comfortable," she adds. "And we obviously had those conversations."
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Abbey Lee and Kevin Costner at a photo call for Horizon: An American Saga in Cannes, France, on May 19, 2024.
Rocco Spaziani/getty
On top of feeling safe with one another, Lee continues, "then it's just a matter of feeling comfortable with the crew that needs to be in the room and the ones who don't, aren't there."
"But yes, there's always an element of discomfort [with sex scenes]," she says. "They're always a bit weird, but as long as you can trust the people around you ... it's just weird because there's people standing in a room while you're doing this fake, intimate thing. It's just strange."
Speaking about chemistry in the film in general, Costner and Lee's costar Jamie Campbell Bower tells PEOPLE, "I think, as actors, there's a [foundational] level of trust."
"And Kevin is so brilliant at what he does and so seasoned that you're staring into the eyes of somebody who truly knows what it is that they're doing, and you trust each other in that moment to bring it and know that you're safe," adds the Stranger Things star, 35.
Kevin Costner in Horizon: An American Saga.
Richard Foreman/ Warner Bros
An official synopsis teases that Horizon, which Costner first begin exploring the idea for over 35 years ago, "explores the lure of the Old West and how it was won — and lost — through the blood, sweat and tears of many."
"Spanning the four years of the Civil War, from 1861 to 1865, Kevin Costner’s ambitious cinematic adventure will take audiences on an emotional journey across a country at war with itself, experienced through the lens of families, friends and foes all attempting to discover what it truly means to be the United States of America," the synopsis adds.
Asked whether they think they'd have survived the Old West era in real life, Bower and Lee both give PEOPLE a resounding affirmative.
"I'm naturally quite resilient, and I think you needed to have a certain amount of resilience to survive at that time. So that was where my strength would've come," says Lee.
But there's one caveat, she admits: "I don't like the desert, so that would've been tricky. I'm more of a water person."
Horizon: An American Saga — Chapter 1 is in theaters now, to be followed by Chapter 2 on Aug. 16.
For months, it was rumoured that Hungary planned to use a reworked version of Donald Trump’s slogan for its upcoming EU presidency: Make Europe Great Again. That idea “sounded so lame and ridiculous that we refrained from reporting it”, Szabolcs Panyi, one of Hungary’s leading investigative journalists, wrote on X this month. “We were wrong.”
On 1 July, under that Trumpian banner, Hungary will take on the six-month rotating presidency of the EU council of ministers. As well as a spell in the diplomatic limelight, Viktor Orbán’s government will be setting the EU agenda for the rest of the year.
EU diplomats are downbeat, but resigned to Hungary’s six months in charge. Since Orbán returned to power in 2010, going on to win four consecutive terms, democratic values, the rule of law and press freedom in Hungary have withered, according to numerous independent bodies.
The Hungarian government, a long-term spoiler of EU decisions, has become an even more difficult partner since Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine, blocking or dragging out decisions to aid the war effort for as long as possible. “I think [the Hungarian presidency] is a fiasco for the European Union,” said the French Green MEP Gwendoline Delbos-Corfield, who is standing down from the European parliament after five years as its lead on Hungary and the rule of law.
“You can be completely [negatively] influencing the rule of law now in the EU, and have your presidency,” she said, describing this as a “concerning” development for European democracy.
EU insiders have fumed as Hungary blocked €6.6bn (£5.6bn) of military aid for Ukraine via the European Peace Facility fund. The EPF partially reimburses EU member states for buying or sending weapons for Ukraine, so in effect Budapest is denying other EU capitals money to replenish their own defence stocks. Orbán has also held up – although he later relented – on advancing Ukraine’s EU accession talks, and secured opt-outs and weakened versions of EU sanctions against Russia.
Privately diplomats have spoken of attempted blackmail, as the Orbán government seeks to unlock EU money denied to Budapest. On the eve of the presidency, €19bn in various EU funds for Hungary remain frozen by the European Commission over alleged breaches of EU law on equal rights (the anti-LGBTQ+ law), the right to asylum, academic freedom, as well as concerns about corruption and judicial independence.
At a meeting of foreign affairs ministers last month, frustrations boiled over when ministers confronted their Kremlin-decorated counterpart, Péter Szijjártó, over Hungary’s obstruction. “Almost all our decisions and needed discussions are being blocked by one country,” said Lithuania’s foreign minister, Gabrielius Landsbergis, who accused Budapest of a “systematic approach towards any efforts by the EU to have any meaningful role in foreign affairs”.
A senior EU diplomat said: “I take pills to calm myself when I talk about this issue because it’s getting really ridiculous … At every turn of the road you see the Hungarians hampering Ukraine’s ability to fight an aggressor.”
But shortly before the presidency, diplomatic niceties prevailed. The senior EU diplomat thinks national pride will ensure a conventional EU presidency that ensures “the smooth running of the trains”. Hungary had a clear interest in a presidency that was not “creating havoc”, the person said. “The Hungarians also know that if they were to embark on that course, member states, especially the bigger member states, are not going to sit by idly to let it happen.”
To prevent a diplomatic derailment, EU officials have explored how to insulate the EU from Hungarian vetoes. One paper floats greater use of “bridge” clauses in the EU treaty to transform policies requiring unanimity into those needing a simple weighted majority.
A second senior EU diplomat said the presidency was “perhaps a good way of reining them in”, adding that it would have been a mistake to deny Hungary its six months in charge “because then it gives them the impression that everybody is against them and they need to fight”.
They added: “They block for a certain time, but in the end they give in. They haven’t really destroyed anything yet.”
Another source of reassurance for diplomats is that EU law means neither Orbán nor Szijjártó will chair routine EU meetings. Hungarian officials have promised their colleagues a “Brussels-based presidency”, suggesting a low-key technocratic affair to chair the hundreds of technical and diplomatic meetings that keep the EU ticking over.
Asked this week by German media about Hungary’s blocking of EU and Nato decisions, Orbán did not directly respond but blamed “narrow-mindedness” “especially on the left” for Europe’s problems.
A smooth-running six months is hinted by the Hungarian presidency logo – a Rubik’s Cube, intended to symbolise Hungarian ingenuity and European unity. Using the Hungarian design professor Ernő Rubik’s invention was “cute”, said Kim Lane Scheppele, a professor in law and politics at Princeton University. But together with Trump’s slogan it reveals the dual nature of Hungary’s EU presidency, she said. “Here’s the Hungarian contribution to unity and here’s how we’re going to get in your face.”
“Orbán’s strategy is not to object to absolutely everything,” she added, predicting there would be “fireworks” over foreign affairs, rather than agriculture, fisheries or the single market.
On the eve of Hungary’s presidency, Orbán announced he had joined forces with Austria’s far-right party and the populist Czech ANO party, launching a new European alliance.
The aim was to create the strongest rightwing bloc in the European parliament, Orbán said, though the trio needs to attract politicians from at least four more EU countries to successfully form a group.
“What Europeans want is three things: peace, order and development,” Orbán said on Sunday. “And what they are getting from the elite in Brussels today is war, migration and stagnation.”
Diplomats suggest Orbán can do little damage because his presidency coincides with an interregnum in EU affairs: the next European Commission – the initiator and enforcer of EU law – will not take office until 1 November. Scheppele is not convinced.
“Orbán has previously used two pauses in EU vigilance to consolidate autocracy. He used his rotating presidency in 2011 to bring into effect his new autocratic constitution and many accompanying laws specifying the details about the new constitutional system,” she said.
During another six-month pause in EU business around the 2019 EU elections, Orbán pushed through controversial changes that chipped away at the rule of law and workers’ rights. These included legislationallowing companies to demand staff work an extra day of overtime a week; the “salad law” – so-called because it blends a mishmash of different ingredients – to bring the judiciary under government control; and introduced state control over the research network of the Hungarian Academy of Sciences.
Speaking from the European parliament, Delbos-Corfield said she was worried that the next six months would bring a deepening of the hostile climate towards LGBTQ+ people and the rollback of judicial reforms agreed with the EU last year to partially unblock frozen European funds.
She also warned about Hungary’s “sovereignty protection” office, which the European Commission has said violates democratic principles and the right to a fair trial. Ostensibly intended to protect Hungary from foreign influence, the office can launch sweeping investigations into people active in public life.
This week, the Hungarian branch of Transparency International and the independent media outlet Átlátszó announced they were being targeted by the law. The sovereignty protection office was a “very Putin-inspired structure”, said Delbos-Corfield, drawing a comparison with Vladimir Putin’s 2012 foreign agents law used to repress civil society in Russia.
Reflecting on the latest decision to go after two organisations dedicated to holding the Orbán government to account, Scheppele said: “That’s why I dread the current period when Orbán’s term in the rotating presidency coincides with the interregnum. My guess is that we see all kinds of new repressions carried out in Hungary during this period.”
The Bear's music choices, including Taylor Swift, enhance its storytelling.
Season 3's subtle Taylor Swift reference symbolizes Richie's growth and acceptance.
Richie's connection to Taylor Swift represents his relationships and emotional journey.
There is more to The Bear season 3's Taylor Swift scene than meets the eye, and its comparison with season 2's Taylor Swift moments reveals a lot about Richie's story. Although many factors contribute to The Bear's success, a part of the reason it is such a memorable show is its stellar music choices. Throughout its runtime, it features classic tracks from beloved artists like Pearl Jam and R.E.M. that perfectly complement its Chicago visuals.
The Bear's seasons 2 and 3 also use Taylor Swift's songs as the background scores for several scenes, highlighting Richie's love for the singer. However, a close look at The Bear season 2's Taylor Swift references and season 3's subtle nod to a song by the singer reveal a bittersweet truth about Richie's characterization. Even though The Bear season 3 features only one Taylor Swift track, it seems to hold immense significance in Richie's journey.
The Bear season 3 continues the show’s human stories about cooking, purpose, and handling trauma, set against a varied musical soundtrack.
Taylor Swift's "Long Live" Plays When Richie Visits Frank's House In The Bear Season 3
The Song Highlights How He Still Connects With His Daughter Through Taylor Swift's Music
Unlike The Bear season 2, which put Richie, his ex-wife, and his daughter's love for Taylor Swift on full display, season 3 only features one Taylor Swift song. This song, "Long Live," can be heard in Richie's car as he drops his daughter off at Frank's house. It is an interesting detail because many moments in The Bear season 2 highlight his ex-wife Tiffany's love for Taylor Swift. Richie, too, listens to her music because it helps him connect with his daughter and ex-wife even when they are not with him.
In The Bear season 2, he even tries to arrange three tickets for a Taylor Swift concert through Uncle Jimmy. However, not long after, his heart is broken when he learns that Tiffany is planning to get married again. When Richie finally turns his life around in The Bear season 2 and finds his true purpose in the service industry after briefly working at Chef Terry's restaurant, Taylor Swift's "Love Story" also becomes the soundtrack of his life. Since Taylor Swift has been such a crucial part of Richie's journey, season 3's subtle "Long Live" reference must mean something.
After walking through Carmy, Sydney, and the crew's struggles with their new restaurant, The Bear season 3 ends on a fascinatingly ambiguous note.
Richie's Taylor Swift Scene In The Bear Season 3 Is Much More Subtle Than Season 2
The Subtle Taylor Swift Reference Symbolizes A Crucial Stage In Richie's Story
Image via FX/Hulu
While Richie struggles to deal with his divorce from Tiffany in The Bear season 2, he becomes more accepting towards it in season 3. He even meets Frank and appreciates how nice he is. Owing to this, since he connected with his wife and daughter through their combined love for Taylor Swift's music, it is hard not to believe that season 3's subtle reference to "Long Live" represents how Richie is finally moving on. It seems like the more he grows distant from his previous romantic relationship with his ex-wife, the less he listens to Taylor Swift.
As seen in The Bear season 3, he still enjoys listening to Taylor Swift with his daughter. However, his regrets surrounding the divorce are gradually fading as he is learning to embrace his new relationship with his family. However, it would still be interesting to see whether he will gather the courage to attend her wedding in The Bear season 4. If he does, he will, perhaps, get an even better closure for his past, allowing him to commit to his personal growth as a chef and maybe even find new love.
Set in a Chicago sandwich shop, The Bear follows Carmy Berzatto, a young professionally trained chef who returns to take over his family business after the unexpected death of his brother. At odds with many of the shop's employees due to his culinary training, Carmy struggles to maintain order and keep the shop from failing entirely. Jeremy Allen White stars as Carmy alongside Ebon Moss-Bachrach and Ayo Edebiri.
Cast
Jeremy Allen White , Ebon Moss-Bachrach , Ayo Edebiri , Lionel Boyce , Liza Colón-Zayas , Abby Elliott , Oliver Platt
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