How Kevin Costner Injured Himself While Filming Waterworld
Head of the Dutton household on "Yellowstone" and all-around tough nut, Kevin Costner has been the quintessential stoic, tough guy for decades. From the father of Superman to legendary lawman of the Wild West in "Wyatt Earp," Costner has aimed those steely blues at the camera for years as a leading man and faced down many a foe without breaking a sweat. However, one film that left him constantly drenched was the post-apocalyptic adventure film "Waterworld."
Directed in 1995 by Kevin Reynolds, the cult classic that gained infamy for enduring a significant production delay due to a hurricane still kept its head above water as an impressive effort from Costner. Set in 2500, the film sees the entire planet covered by water, with survivors inhabiting floating fortresses to stay alive. Costner played The Mariner, a wave-riding hero. After saving a woman and her daughter, together they go off in search of a rumored location that may be home to the last bit of land on the planet, with an infamous warlord (played by Dennis Hopper at his wildest) hot on their heels. Crammed with water-based action, Costner himself got in on the fun for this epic aqua-orientated movie, but it was one stunt in particular that ended up being a bit of a literal stretch for the actor.
Kevin Costner did a bungee jump he quickly regretted in Waterworld
In an interview with Entertainment Weekly in 2009, Costner revealed that one sequence in "Waterworld" pushed him to his limit resulting in a "one and done" take as far as the actor was concerned. In the film, The Mariner bungee jumps from a balloon to save Enola (Tina Majorino) as she's being pursued by three jet-skis, with Costner himself having a go at the stunt. It was a decision he quickly regretted. "I hurt my back really bad doing the shot," Costner revealed, accepting his limits even though his director asked for more. "[Reynolds] wanted another take. I just kind of shook my head and said, 'I can't.'"
While it's always great to see actors dare to make an effort, it's good to know that on this occasion, Costner put his health over the project, as you'd hope all actors would, allowing him to bounce back for one epic adventure film. Following the film's release, Universal went on to open a "Waterworld" stunt show at Universal Studios Hollywood, which is still running today.