Kevin Costner was initially considered for a famous Tom Hanks role, but it appears he turned it down. Costner starred in several big movies in the 1990s, including his Best Picture-winning Dances With Wolves, The Bodyguard, and Tin Cup. However, he could have been the lead in a movie that many now consider a classic – Apollo 13.

The Hollywood Reporter recently published an oral history from the stars, crew, and others involved in the making of Apollo 13, which celebrates its 30th anniversary in 2025 and is being re-released in movie theaters from September 19-25. The 1995 movie retold the heroic effort to save the crew of Apollo 13 after they had a malfunction during their mission to the moon.

Among the most fascinating tidbits in the feature are the casting stories, particularly the one involving Costner and Hanks related to the lead role of Jim Lovell, which was detailed by the movie’s director, Ron Howard:

“Kevin Costner looked a lot like Jim Lovell, and Jim Lovell said, ‘Do you think you could get Kevin Costner to play this part?’ It seemed like a good idea. Costner was H๏τ as a pistol at that moment and was somebody I was interested in working with. I never really knew why he wasn’t interested.”

As it turned out, Howard said he was told Hanks dreamed about playing an astronaut. Producer Brian Grazer also recalled that the deciding factor for him was when he thought, “Who does the world want to save the most,” to which his answer was Hanks. The rest is history.

More Behind-the-Scenes Apollo 13 Stories

The feature includes more on the making of Apollo 13, including more casting stories. One of note is that Clint Howard, Ron Howard’s brother, picked his role knowing that his brother often cuts some parts in editing. He settled on the role of EECOM controller Sy Liebergot because he felt “there is no way I’ll get left on the cutting room floor.”

Other interesting notes include that Ron Howard didn’t experience the Apollo 13 situation unfold in real life, as he was filming a guest spot for the TV show Gunsmoke. Also, in a test screening, a 23-year-old man (who was not alive during the Apollo 13 mission) didn’t realize the movie was based on a true story, calling it “Hollywood bulls–t.”

Why Might Kevin Costner Have Turned Down Apollo 13?

Ron Howard said he doesn’t know why Costner decided not to play Jim Lovell in Apollo 13, but Costner did have his own big movie in 1995 that could have impacted his decision. Costner starred in Waterworld that year, as well as serving as a producer on the movie. That movie’s big production may have hampered his ability to also star in Apollo 13.

I was not able to find any comments from Costner on his potential involvement in Apollo 13, so until he offers his own insight we may never know for sure. However, Costner did eventually get to star in a movie about NASA’s space program, starring as a fictional character in the Oscar-nominated Hidden Figures.