Kevin Costner Opens up About His Religious Views Ahead of ABC Special

Actor, director, and producer Kevin Costner shed light on his religious beliefs and his relationship with the church while promoting his ABC Christmas special, Kevin Costner Presents: The First Christmas.

The program shows a portrayal of the Nativity, "the story of the first Christmas like you've never seen it before," Kevin said in an ABC promo. The special will come out on Dec. 9, 2025, streaming the next day on Hulu and Disney+.

Long before Kevin worked on Dances With Wolves and Field of Dreams, he was spending time around the church with his family. He even had his first acting role at age four in the church's yearly Nativity production. Here's what Kevin shared about his faith.

Kevin said that the church his family helped build in the 1950s became his "foundation." "The church was central in our lives," he said, according to USA Today. His grandmother was the director of the church choir, his mom sang in the choir, and his family's friends came from the church.

He told Entertainment Tonight, "I do believe there have been hands on me, on my family." He went on to explain that when he's tested in life, he relies on his faith. "I have had tremendous ups, and I have been bruised equally," he said.

"I've had things said about me that I know, you know — but I have to endure them. And so, how do I choose to live my life, in anger or in faith that things will reveal themselves in the right way? And so I've just chosen to do that," Kevin added.

"These fantastic stories of faith and of believing, it's nice to believe in something,” he said, adding, "I’d hate to live in a world where I don't believe in anything."

The special shows a portrayal of Jesus's birth, with comments from Kevin and insights from experts.

In a promo, Kevin says, "They say Christmas is the most wonderful time of the year. A chance for families to gather together and celebrate the amazing story of a newborn king. Whether you’re a believer or just curious about the tradition, journey back with me, Kevin Costner, for the story of the first Christmas, like you’ve never seen it before."

Kevin was proud to make the special. He told USA Today, "I'm sure I'm going to confront the cynics and the nonbelievers, who I invite them to sit down, too, and they can feel how they feel. But I was really happy. This gave me pleasure to do it."

A review from The Christian Post said that the special takes a "gritty," "direct, and reverent" approach to the story of the birth of Jesus Christ. It says, "Rather than presenting Mary and Joseph as static religious symbols, the dramatizations depict them as young people navigating fear, uncertainty, and danger."

Kevin told The Christian Post, "This story has lived for thousands of years, but they were teenagers, and it was fraught with danger."