Kevin Costner Is Set to Play Bill Clinton in "United." Risky move after that Yellowstone mess? Maybe. But it could work.
Look, this is the kind of casting that makes people lean forward. Kevin Costner (movies and tv series) - fresh off a very public, messy split from Yellowstone - is reportedly stepping into the shoes of former President Bill Clinton (movies and tv series) for a new TV series called United. Big swing. Big scrutiny.
What's the project?
United centers on the United Nations mission to East Timor in 1999, a volatile moment that tested global diplomacy and basic human safety on the ground. Costner will portray Clinton during that period, and he'll also executive produce alongside Leonardo DiCaprio (movies and tv series).
The series is being developed in partnership with the UN's Creative Community Outreach Initiative, which helps storytellers get the details right when they tackle UN-related stories. So expect a focus on the real mechanics of peacekeeping - not just glossy political theater.
Why Clinton, and why now?
Because the late '90s were messy, and Clinton's presidency sits right in the thick of it. Foreign policy decisions, moral controversies, and very loud opinions from every side. Playing him is a minefield. And Costner knows that.
But here's the thing: his calm, measured presence could make the role feel lived-in rather than caricatured. If he nails the nuance - the charm and the calculus - it's the kind of part that resets a narrative after a rough exit from a hit show.
The story under the headline
East Timor's 1999 independence vote led to violence that forced international intervention and a UN-led mission to stabilize the territory. It wasn't tidy. It was tense, and people on the ground paid the price while diplomats and soldiers worked to hold a fragile line.
If United stays close to that reality - the late-night briefings, the burned-out offices, the sound of helicopters over neighborhoods that needed protection - it could be gripping. For anyone who covers TV, this is a high-stakes blend: political portrait plus boots-on-the-ground crisis.
If you need a refresher on what happened there, this overview is a solid starting point: East Timor's path to independence.
Is this a gamble for Costner?
Sure. Playing a living, polarizing figure invites backlash before a trailer even drops. And after Yellowstone, every move he makes gets read like a statement. But if you're Costner, you don't pick a safe role - you pick one that lets you steer your own story.
Maybe it's just timing. Or maybe this is exactly the kind of part he's aiming for: complicated, consequential, and impossible to ignore.
What we know so far
- Title: United
- Role: Kevin Costner as former U.S. President Bill Clinton
- Timeframe: 1999 UN mission related to East Timor
- Partners: United Nations' Creative Community Outreach Initiative
- Executive Producers: Kevin Costner, Leonardo DiCaprio
- Status: In development; more details to come
Here's what this could mean
For TV news desks: expect strong audience interest, strong opinions, and a ratings-friendly conversation around leadership, responsibility, and what power looks like behind closed doors. For Western-genre watchers who know Costner from the saddle - this is a pivot into geopolitical drama that tests a different muscle.
And for the industry? If United lands with credibility and heat, it could set up a new lane for Costner's post-Yellowstone era and give DiCaprio's producing slate another serious, issue-forward title.
We'll be watching the casting around him, the showrunner choice, and where it lands. The smallest details - from the West Wing walk-and-talks to the field ops in Dili - will tell you what kind of show this really is.
