Kevin Costner Went Toe to Toe With Robert De Niro and Jeremy Irons in 1991 Oscars but His $424 Million Movie Was Not Enough to Win Him the Best Actor Award

Kevin Costner’s Dances with Wolves was a blockbuster hit but missed the Best Actor Oscar at the 1991 Academy Awards, losing to Jeremy Irons.

The 1991 Oscars was a cinematic clash of titans because Hollywood’s finest actors were nominated for their brilliant performances.

The multi-talented actor-director Kevin Costner was competing with icons like Robert De Niro and Jeremy Irons.

Kevin Costner in Yellowstone | Linson Entertainment

But unfortunately, someone else won the Best Actor award, who deserved it just as much.

The movie that earned Costner a nomination was a cultural phenomenon and a box-office success, but it wasn’t enough to earn him the prestigious award for that specific category.

Dances with Wolves star Kevin Costner faces Robert De Niro and Jeremy Irons at the Oscars

Jeremy Irons wins Best Actor at the 63rd Academy Awards | Oscars / YouTube

The 63rd Academy Awards was bejeweled with amazing actors, and one of them was Kevin Costner, who was nominated for his role in Dances with Wolves.

Robert De Niro also got an Oscar nod for his heart-wrenching performance in Awakenings, which only solidified his status as a legend in the industry.

But it was Jeremy Irons who took the trophy home as he stunned everyone with Reversal of Fortune.

The film was based on the real-life Bülow case in which Irons played Claus von Bülow, a man who was accused of murdering his wife.

Prior to the Oscars, Kevin Costner had swooped other awards, and that night, he won Best Director and Best Picture for Dancing with Wolves.

 His epic Western was acclaimed everywhere for the poignant manner in which it captured the lives of Native Americans and the American Frontier.

Kevin Costner-starrer Dances with Wolves was a blockbuster that transcended expectations

Kevin Costner in Dances with Wolves | Tig Productions

Kevin Costner’s Dances with Wolves had a modest budget of $19 million, and it raked in an impressive number, i.e., a whopping $424 million worldwide (via The Numbers).

It was amongst the highest-grossing films in that year, and beautifully explored complex themes like identity, belonging, and respect.

Costner as John Dunbar was a treat to watch, he played a Union Army lieutenant who befriends the Sioux tribe.

He effortlessly played a character that felt both strong and vulnerable, and his acting was indeed commendable.

But it was his vision as a director that became the star of the show, and it’s precisely what cemented its legacy as well.

Even if Costner didn’t win Best Actor, he proved to the world that he was a genius, who could create waves at the box office, and leave a lasting impact, all at once.

You can stream Dances with Wolves on Pluto TV, Awakenings on Netflix, and Reversal of Fortune on Prime.