Kevin Costner says acting career began in church as he hosts Gospel-centric ‘First Christmas’ special

Long before Kevin Costner became a Hollywood leading man known for epic dramas and Westerns, his first performance was in a church nativity play, where, armed with a shepherd’s staff, he unknowingly took his first step toward a life of storytelling.”I was a rascal,” the 70-year-old Academy Award winner told The Christian Post. “I was asked to be a shepherd. I didn’t even know what acting was; you just be a shepherd. You have this big, long stick, so don’t fight any kids with it.”

Now more than four decades into a career that includes Academy Award victories for “Dances With Wolves,” classics such as “Field of Dreams” and “The Bodyguard,” and recent success with Paramount Network’s “Yellowstone,” Costner is returning to the place where faith and performance first intersected.His new two-hour ABC special, premiering on Dec. 9, centers on the Nativity story of Mary and Joseph, blending dramatic reenactments with Costner’s narration. Produced by Warm Springs Productions and directed by David L. Cunningham, “The First Christmas” explores the historical and spiritual events surrounding Jesus’ birth, aiming to bring a human perspective to a story many feel they already know.