Kevin Costner and Morgan Freeman teamed up on The Gray Housea new eight-part historical drama miniseries, and it’s available to watch on Prime Video.
The two veteran actors, who both serve as executive producers on the series, appeared together at a screening and panel discussion at Paramount Pictures Studios in Los Angeles on Jan. 22, where they talked about what drew them to the project and why they fought to get it made.
The Gray House stars Mary-Louise Parker, Daisy Head and Amethyst Davis as the unlikely trio of women who, during the American Civil War, put their lives on the line to transform their Underground Railroad operation into something far more dangerous, an underground spy network.
The Roland Joffé-directed series also features an ensemble cast including Ben Vereen, Rob Morrow, Robert Knepper, Christopher McDonald, Colin Morgan and Keith David, among others.
Costner was candid about the creative approach the series takes to its subject matter, stressing the importance of not softening what audiences were about to see.
“I think the closer you could get to human behavior that exists in every century, every decade, we haven’t changed that much. But I think when you tell a story like this, you have to get as close to the violence as you can because it was such a scary time,” he told the audience.
“You’re trying to hold on to the language and … the evil that’s really just inches away.”
He also spoke warmly of the role Freeman played in pushing the project forward when they pitched it to network executives.
“It was easy. I mean, we all respond to writing. We’re moved by writing. We have to continue to be able to be moved,” Costner said, laughing as he described his co-producer’s presence in the room.
“If you look into Morgan’s eyes, [they] is very formidable. Very formidable. I have seen it and, but he stood with me and said, ‘What is so difficult about this decision?’ And there was nothing. And now it lives, we can pass it on. I swear it’s a war we still haven’t recovered from.”
