Costner wants leaders to watch his new movie

Costner wants leaders to watch his new movie
REUTERS

LONDON, MARCH 12: Kevin Costner was quoted on Monday as saying he wants world leaders to see his latest film because he believes they are not taking the possibility of a nuclear conflict seriously enough.

U S President George W. Bush has seen the film "Thirteen Days", the story of the 1962 Cuban missile crisis, as has former President Bill Clinton.

Costner, who arrives in London on Monday for the film's British opening, now hopes Prime Minister Tony Blair will see it.

``This is clearly a very political movie. And I do want Tony Blair to see it,'' the Hollywood star told Britain's Independent newspaper.

``We have a very smug attitude that this problem has gone away. But the world has thousands of nuclear missiles. Why do we think we're any safer than we were then? But no one wants to hear about this,'' he said.

``They would rather ask me questions about my girlfriend. There are simply things people would rather not talk about. My own country wiped out around 400 different cultures. We don't talk about that very much,'' he told the Independent.

Costner plays the part of an adviser to John F. Kennedy, U S President at the time of the Cuban missile crisis.

``We are moving towards the situation there was in 1962 because of the hostility and instability of certain regions of the world. People who see (the film) will want to know more about this crisis,'' he told the paper.