Kevin Costner Quotes

Obviously you do not want to upstage. Some people work like that. But I have never been that upstaging kind. I wouldn't want to upset anyone.

A lot of times you'll hear horror stories about actors being incredibly selfish and only wanting themselves to shine, but for me, it's not about just one person. It's about the whole team. That's the way I look at acting. That's the way I look at everything I do.

When you work with a DeNiro or Hoffman, they love what they do so much that there's never any competitive vibe. It's more about how do we do this thing together.

I've worked with actors who were very helpful and a lot better than I was.

No one man is superior to the game.

I don't feel I'm a step above anyone on this team. I'm just another link in the chain.

Sometimes if you have very confident people, you have to tell them please, be polite, there are other players are good enough as you and you should never speak out of an orchestra.

As my career has progressed, I've had the pleasure of playing with the baddest jazz cats on the planet. But that doesn't change my desire to entertain folks. That's really who I am.

You can't steal every scene. There are scenes in which you need to sit back and do a lot less, verbally, physically.

I'm not here to try and replace anyone or compete with anyone.

I like people who are working on practical things and who are working in teams. It's not so important to get the glory. It's much more important to get something that works. It's a better way to live.

I always say that I'm not the director, I'm part of the team.

Cast is everything.

Acting is probably the number one team sport in America as far as I'm concerned.

There can be a lot done if you are not so particular about who gets credit for it.

Being a part of success is more important than being personally indispensable.

To become truly great, one has to stand with people, not above them.

Leaders should be collaborative, modest, and generous.

It is amazing what you can accomplish if you do not care who gets the credit.

Football is such a team sport, so no one individual does it. No one coach or no one assistant coach or no one player, it's a great team sport, so I don't get carried away with a bunch of accolades.

I'm not under too much of an illusion of how smart or un-smart I am because filmmaking ultimately is about teamwork.

I think a performer should do his work and then shut up.

I remember calling directors numerous times and saying, 'Oh, you should cast so-and-so instead of me. They're much better for the role.'

The way to get things done is not to mind who gets the credit.

The important thing is the solution to the problem, not who gets the credit.