The Oscars 2025 awards ceremony took place on February 23 at the Dolby Theater, but the biggest drama was not on the stage but in the backstage, when Kevin Costner, the star of “Yellowstone” and “Dances With Wolves”, bluntly refused to appear with Whopi Goldberg.
The incident occurred right before an important award, causing the organizers to rush to change the script. Later, Costner explained his actions with a brief but weight statement: “The evil people are not worthy here,” sparked a series of speculation about the conflict between Hollywood’s two big names.
According to the people present at the event, Costner was originally arranged to award the dedication to the career with Goldberg, who used to be the familiar MC of Oscars. But just a few minutes before the broadcast, he suddenly left the preparation area, informing the producers that he would not stand on the stage with her. A backstage source revealed that Costner expressed dissatisfaction with Goldberg before, regarding her comments on “The View” about politics and culture – topics that Costner often stayed away from public. Although not in detail, he seemed to refer to a deeper conflict when leaving a hidden message.
Reaction from the Hollywood community divided into two distinct streams. Some supporters of Costner, praised him for his consistency. A writer on X: “Kevin knows his value – no need to be fake with anyone.” Meanwhile, the fans of Goldberg countered harshly, calling this action “unprofessional” and “𝘤𝘩𝘪𝘭𝘥ish”. It was Goldberg itself, in the “The View” right after the awards ceremony, responded lightly but no less sharp: “I don’t know what he has, but I’m still here, and Oscars is still great.”
The Academy of Academy declined to official comments, only confirming that the last minute change was to “ensure the program went smoothly”. However, the case has heated the discussions about solidarity in Hollywood, especially in the context of the industry facing many divisions. With Costner preparing to launch the sequel to “Horizon: An American Saga” and Goldberg continues to lead the leading role on television, this may not be the last time the two clashes. Will this contradiction fall into oblivion, or boom into a public battle? Only time can answer, but currently, the story of Costner and Goldberg is the focus of all eyes.