Kevin Costner just opened up about the tragic stories he discovered for his new docuseries, Kevin Costner’s The West. Kevin is one of the most accomplished actors in the entertainment industry.

He has starred in such iconic films as Field of Dreams, The Bodyguard and Dances With Wolves. In recent years, Kevin’s become more known for starring in the hugely successful TV show Yellowstone.

Now he’s got a brand-new docuseries called Kevin Costner’s The West, which recounts real tales from the American West.

Kevin Costner in Yellowstone in a western hat, looking to camera

While speaking with Fox News Digital, Kevin couldn’t believe the heartbreaking stories he learned about while making Kevin Costner’s The West. “Almost everything I found was tragic. Isn’t that weird?” he said.

“Every story, there weren’t a lot of happy endings, although there were people that made it on the backs of these kinds of people [we’re]…zeroing in on.”

During the interview, Kevin brought up one particular figure to prove his case. He found John Colter to be “especially interesting” because while “the guys that came along, artists came, scientists came, it was an expedition.” However, when it came to John, he would hunt for meat and use sign language.

The actor described John as a “mountain man” and explained that he “had no business wanting to go back to Washington.” John became hugely responsible for “some of the greatest, wildest stories ever.”

What “Tragic” Stories Means For Kevin Costner’s The West

Kevin Costner Wants Viewers To See How History Really Unfolded

James Dutton (Tim McGraw) from 1883, John Dutton III (Kevin Costner) from Yellowstone, and Jacob Dutton (Harrison Ford) from 1923 in front of a ranch

United States history is filled with tragic and heartbreaking events from well before the country’s founding, catastrophes and horrors caused by humans and by nature.

Kevin clearly feels the need to show viewers a raw and unfiltered look at how the past helped to form the country as it is today–and he’s not wrong for doing so. After all, to paraphrase the famous quote, people need to learn from history or they are doomed to repeat it.

jasmine alan cumming

The harsh conditions and experiences that people like John Colter faced are truly eye-opening. These stories from the past need to be told, and Kevin wants to ensure that as many people as possible learn about the tragedies that he discovered while making Kevin Costner’s The West.

This docuseries encapsulates the type of show the History channel was meant to produce.

Our Take On Kevin Costner Creating Docuseries The West

Yellowstone Fans Will Love Kevin Costner’s The West

The West will air across eight episodes, with Kevin as the narrator. The actor is also an executive producer alongside historian Doris Kearns Goodwin.

Doris’ involvement is especially important considering all the history books and projects she’s worked on over the years, and she lends a certain gravitas to the docuseries.

Having a big name like Kevin Costner attached to The West is a great way to expose this docuseries to a lot of viewers. After starring on Yellowstone, Kevin has attracted a particular fan base that will love a show like The West.

It may not be a scripted drama like Yellowstone, but the stories are just as captivating and are even more important because they are real-life events from U.S. history.