Kevin Costner’s Real Role In Prime Video’s New 8-Part Western Series Detailed By The Gray House EPs

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Kevin Costner is continuing his love for Westerns, and it’s now confirmed he has a significant role in the upcoming film, The Gray House.

Written by the creators of shows like Walker, The Alienist, and Hatfields & McCoys, this series tells the true story of four women in the South during the Civil War. These women – a Virginia socialite, her mother, a formerly enslaved woman, and a high-class prostitute – secretly team up to create a spy network, gathering intelligence for the Union army.

To celebrate the premiere of The Gray House on Prime Video, ScreenRant‘s Liam Crowley spoke with Leslie Greif and Lori McCreary. When asked about Kevin Costner and Morgan Freeman’s roles – they were executive producers through their production companies, Territory Pictures and Revelations Entertainment – Greif explained that Costner deeply analyzed the script and participated in story discussions with the writers.

The writer described the Oscar winner as demanding, explaining that Costner meticulously reviewed every line of the script to ensure accuracy. He noted that Costner, along with McCreary and Freeman, were all deeply committed to portraying the characters and historical period authentically and realistically.

I was so lucky to work with Morgan and Lori – they weren’t just looking for another job or a paycheck. They genuinely cared about telling a meaningful story and were deeply invested in the project from the very beginning. In fact, Morgan and Lori started developing the project with me and John Sayles right from the start – they were truly hands-on.

Once Greif finished revising the script, he shared it with Costner – whom he’d previously worked with on Hatfields & McCoys – because he needed Costner’s support to finalize it. Greif emphasized that Costner is committed to any project he joins, and needs to feel he’s making a real contribution. Greif was grateful to have both Costner and Freeman involved early in the writing process, and noted that their participation was a major asset when seeking approval for the project.

McCreary complimented Costner, noting his sense of duty when making Westerns based on real events, and added that Freeman brought a special historical understanding to the creative team behind Gray House. The executive producer explained that the team believes stories can influence culture, and feels their Prime Video series has the potential to change how we understand American history by telling a previously untold story.

I was so excited to hear Kevin Costner and Morgan Freeman were working together again on The Gray House! It’s amazing to see them reunite – it’s been over thirty years since they first shared the screen in Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves, where Costner was Robin and Freeman played the incredible Azeem. They’ve both mentioned that they didn’t feel there was a suitable role for them in the Prime Video Western, and they’ve been keeping busy with other things, which I totally understand. Still, it’s wonderful to see these two legends collaborating once more!

With The Gray House, Kevin Costner returns to scripted television after leaving Yellowstone. He stepped away from the popular Taylor Sheridan series to concentrate on his ambitious Horizon: An American Saga film project. However, the first film in the series didn’t do as well as hoped in theaters and received mixed reactions. Besides The Gray House, Costner has been involved with the History Channel’s The West and Disney’s The First Christmas, and is still working to secure funding to complete the third and fourth installments of Horizon.

With The Gray House, Morgan Freeman continues to broaden his work in television, especially as a creative force behind the scenes. Before this, his only significant roles in ongoing TV series were on CBS’ Madam Secretary – where he also first served as an executive producer – and Taylor Sheridan’s Lioness, which is currently filming its third season.

As a big fan of Westerns and historical dramas, I think it’s safe to say Kevin Costner and Morgan Freeman are huge names in the genre. Think about it – films like Clint Eastwood’s Unforgiven which really makes you think about life and what’s right, or Invictus celebrating Nelson Mandela, even something like Wyatt Earp that dives into the rough side of keeping the peace. When you see those two actors attached to a Western or historical project, it automatically feels more solid and trustworthy. They just bring a certain weight and experience to those kinds of stories.

I’m really excited about The Gray House! It’s got such a strong cast, with amazing actors like Mary-Louise Parker and Keith David. It feels like it has all the potential to be as big a hit as Yellowstone. Plus, Prime Video hasn’t done a ton with Westerns lately – The English with Emily Blunt was great, but they could really build on that if The Gray House does well. I’m hoping this could be the start of more Westerns from them!

Greif & McCreary View The Gray House As “Hidden Figures For The Civil War”

ScreenRant asked when the creator learned the real story that inspired The Gray House, and what made them believe it deserved to be a miniseries.

About fifteen years ago, Leslie called me with an idea for a war story focusing on women. Morgan and I were immediately on board. She told us about Elizabeth Van Lew and a woman named Mary Jane, who was a former slave and a spy. We’d already done some initial research on Mary Jane, and I was excited about the potential of developing her story with Leslie. I’m always drawn to stories that center on women, particularly those that haven’t been told from their point of view. We knew John Sayles from previous work, so Leslie brought him in to write a first draft. At the time, we envisioned a project that would be around two or three hours long. But as we dug deeper, we discovered so much more, and it grew into the eight-hour series it is today. It was amazing how much of this incredible story was unknown.

I was immediately captivated by Leslie Greif’s vision – telling a story about a familiar event, the Civil War, but revealing a hidden truth. Everyone knows the Civil War, but few know the incredible story of these four women who secretly played a crucial role in the Union victory. That’s what really drew me in. Having Morgan and Lori involved felt like a huge endorsement, and then approaching Kevin Costner, who clearly has a passion for bringing historical stories to life – especially after his success with Hidden Figures – just felt perfect. It was one of those moments where everything aligned, and we all felt strongly that this was a story that needed to be shared right now. That’s really how this incredible project came to be.

Lori McCreary: We sometimes call this Hidden Figures for the Civil War.

Keith David Is “The Malcolm X To Frederick Douglass’ Dr. King” In The Series

Faye’s Vision/Cover Images.

ScreenRant: Were you familiar with this corner of history going in?

I discovered the stories of these incredible women. I was familiar with Amethyst’s character, Mary Jane, but I really appreciate how the show expanded on her background and showed us what shaped her into the person she is. That was a surprising and welcome addition. I hadn’t known about the contributions of the other women to the war effort before.

ScreenRant: Can you share who your character is and tell us a little bit about your character?

I play Henry Highland Garnet, an abolitionist who worked alongside Frederick Douglass. They were both fighting against slavery at the same time, but Garnet approached the issue differently. I see him as a bit like Malcolm X was to Martin Luther King Jr. – he offered a more radical alternative for resisting slavery and challenging those who supported it. He wasn’t afraid to speak honestly, even to people in power, and I have a lot of respect for that.

ScreenRant asked about the impressive cast and crew behind the series, noting that Kevin Costner and Morgan Freeman are executive producers. They were curious if the interviewer had the opportunity to meet either of them.

It was great running into Morgan Freeman! You know, my career actually started working with him. Fresh out of school, I understudied a role – Orphideus, the antagonist – in his Shakespeare in the Park production of Coriolanus. He was phenomenal as the lead! We had a nice chat, reminiscing about those early days back in the seventies, and it was just wonderful to reconnect and say hello after all these years.

ScreenRant asked if the interviewer had any direct interaction with the executive producers, noting that some are only involved by title. They then inquired about how Kevin Costner and Morgan Freeman specifically helped improve the film, The Gray House.

Keith David explained that the project wouldn’t have been possible without the genuine support of key people. He emphasized the importance of them being actively involved, not just expressing interest. It meant a lot that they followed through with action, providing real support instead of just empty promises. They truly stepped up and contributed directly.

Liam Crowley asked if there was ever a character or role the interviewee played in just one episode that they wished they could have developed further.

I’ve had a few guest roles that really stuck with audiences, like President Curtis. I also played Apollo in Hercules, and I always hoped the character would reappear somehow.

The Gray House begins streaming on Prime Video on February 26.

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2026-02-23 21:02