Kevin Costner Channels Teddy Roosevelt in ‘The West’ Docuseries
So, picture this: Kevin Costner’s hitting the History Channel and suddenly everyone’s comparing him to Teddy Roosevelt. At a Los Angeles press event on May 15, the Yellowstone star and executive producer of the upcoming eight-part series Kevin Costner’s The West linked arms with Pulitzer Prize winner Doris Kearns Goodwin. The goal? Unpack the untold saga of the American frontier, complete with dramatic reenactments, dusty gunfights, and stories you probably skipped in school.
Goodwin, 82, who co-produced the series alongside Costner, didn’t hold back when asked which president reminds her most of the 70-year-old actor-director. “Teddy Roosevelt,” she declared, praising both men’s relentless drive, thirst for adventure, and physical fortitude—traits Roosevelt cultivated after a frail childhood. The former commander-in-chief packed a lifetime of achievements into just eight years in office (1901 to 1909), penned 40 books, and devoured some 200,000 volumes, according to Goodwin’s research.
Costner, nodding sagely, seized on that literary obsession. “When you write and you read, two things happen: you’re still, you’re alone, and you think,” he told PEOPLE. It’s a subtle critique of today’s screen-obsessed leaders, he hinted, who too often claim they “don’t have time to read.” Instead, he argues, great leadership demands solitude, reflection, and a willingness to get uncomfortable—exactly what viewers can expect from his deep dive into lawmen versus outlaws, cowboys versus settlers, and the courageous resistance of Native American tribes.
The West premieres Sunday, May 26 at 9/8c, promising a panoramic take on pioneers, abolitionists, and fortune seekers. Goodwin teases “wonder, possibility, opportunity,” while historian Ned Blackhawk underscores the “essence of the American dream.” Expect faces you’ll recognize—Sacagawea, Lewis & Clark, Joaquin Murrieta—and less-told tales that spotlight pioneer women and the complex politics of Westward expansion.
Behind the scenes, Costner tapped A&E Television Networks LLC for production muscle, blending sprawling landscapes with veteran historians to make sure every dust-up and debate is grounded in fact. It’s not just glossy reenactment; it’s an attempt to reconcile the mythic Old West with the messy reality of ambition, injustice, and identity.
Whether you tune in for the showdown scenes or stay to ponder the Roosevelt parallel, The West aims to challenge how we think about our past. It’s a road trip through ambition and ideology, with Costner as your mildly exasperated tour guide.
Anyway, that’s the deal. Do with it what you will.
Sources: Celebrity Storm and People Magazine, A&E Television Networks LLC, History Channel
Attribution: Creative Commons Licensed
