Will Arnett once shared a funny yet stressful moment from early in his acting career involving a Kevin Costner audition. Before gaining recognition, Arnett was navigating the tough world of auditions, one of which was for Costner’s western film The Postman. This Kevin Costner audition story stands out for its unexpected challenges and memorable discomfort.
Arnett’s breakthrough eventually came with the cult-favorite series Arrested Development, but before that success, he endured many difficult auditions. One particularly challenging day was marked by illness that nearly derailed his chance to meet Costner in person. The night before his audition, Arnett became severely dehydrated from food poisoning and ended up hospitalized. By the time he arrived for the audition, he had been away from a bathroom for hours, adding to his misery.
The night before, I had eaten something bad, and I ended up going to the hospital because I was so dehydrated from being ill,
Arnett said.
At that point, that afternoon going to meet him, that was the furthest I’d been away from the bathroom in like 14 hours, and I remember getting up there and meeting him and being a fan of his and just sweating, and just thinking like this could go really bad right now. I was meeting Kevin Costner, and I legitimately was worried about crapping my pants.
?Will Arnett, actor
How The Postman Audition and Film Impacted Careers
Unsurprisingly, Arnett did not land the role, and it’s unclear if he left a mark on Costner during the meeting. At the time, Costner was at the peak of his career, having won Oscars for Dances with Wolves and starring in numerous hits throughout the 1990s. However, his directorial return with The Postman did not live up to expectations, becoming a major critical and commercial failure.
The Postman was a post-apocalyptic western that Costner both directed and starred in. Despite his previous success as a filmmaker, this project was widely panned. It earned Costner the Golden Raspberry Awards for Worst Director and Worst Picture, an ironic contrast to his earlier accolades. The film’s failure represents one of the most notable downfalls in Costner’s directorial career.
Career Trajectories of Arnett and Costner After The Postman
While The Postman’s disappointment might have cast a shadow over Costner’s career, Arnett’s own path has seen recent highlights. Compared to Costner’s struggles, including his exit from the hit series Yellowstone to focus on a multi-part western titled Horizon: An American Saga—which has faced box office failure and legal issues—Arnett has been recognized for his work in new projects.
Most recently, Arnett delivered a praised dramatic performance in Bradley Cooper’s dramedy Is This Thing On?, which many consider his finest work. The roles Arnett is now achieving contrast sharply with the challenges he faced during his early auditions, including the nerve-wracking Kevin Costner audition story that left him devastated but ultimately resilient.
This episode in Arnett’s career highlights how early struggles—no matter how difficult or embarrassing—can precede future success, while also underscoring the unpredictable nature of the entertainment industry for established stars like Kevin Costner.
