Hollywood Icon Kevin Costner

Kevin Costner first fell in love with California from the back seat of his father’s Buick. As a child, his family would vacation by taking road trips across his home state, immersing themselves in the majesty of the High Sierra.

Costner would eventually go on to become a Hollywood icon, winning two Oscars for directing and producing the 1991 film Dances with Wolves. He also starred in numerous other blockbusters, including Bull Durham, Silverado, and JFK. Despite all the glitz and glamour Hollywood offered, Costner never lost his love for the simple pleasures offered by the open road.

Now, Costner has found a way to blend his love of road trips with his other passion: American history. He is the cofounder of HearHere, a mobile app that acts like a tour guide, offering up history, local insights, and hidden gems in an audio format that’s linked to your current location. Costner lends his voice to the effort, telling stories about everything from the Native peoples of California to the geological shifts that created the California coastline.

On this episode of the California Now Podcast, the movie icon talks to Soterios Johnson about HearHere, shares some of his favorite Golden State destinations, and kicks off the new occasional feature on the podcast, The California Questionnaire.

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Guest

Kevin Costner, award-winning actor, director, and co-founder of HearHere

Resources

California’s High Sierra

Shasta Lake

Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Park

Ventura

Santa Barbara

San Luis Obispo County

California Missions

San Francisco

In-N-Out Burger

San Ysidro Ranch

About the Host

Soterios Johnson, formerly the local host of National Public Radio’s Morning Edition on radio station WNYC, moved from New York City to Davis in 2016. By combining his journalistic instincts with his personal curiosity, Johnson uses the California Now Podcast platform to develop a deeper understanding of his adopted home.