Kevin Costner's son Hayes, 15, says it was 'thrilling and exhilarating' to act in his film Horizon: 'It was an adrenaline rush for sure!'

Kevin Costner cast his own son Hayes Logan Costner as the character Nathaniel Kittredge, who defends his family from a home invasion in the opening of his $100M-budget four-part western Horizon: An American Saga.

'It was thrilling and exhilarating to shoot with so much action, I mean big action, happening all around me,' the 15-year-old high schooler gushed to People on Wednesday.

'Like people running, glass breaking, gunfire and all that commotion! It was an adrenaline rush for sure.'

Hayes - who was 13 at the time of filming - continued: 'It felt like the greatest way that we could bond over something we both love and to create lasting memories together. Working with my dad was an unforgettable moment in time.'

The 69-year-old Yellowstone star named his character Hayes Ellison after his son, whom he just wanted to 'keep close.'

Kevin Costner cast his own son Hayes Logan Costner as the character Nathaniel Kittredge, who defends his family from a home invasion in the opening of his $100M-budget four-part western Horizon: An American Saga (pictured May 19)

The 15-year-old high schooler gushed to People on Wednesday: 'It was thrilling and exhilarating to shoot with so much action, I mean big action, happening all around me. Like people running, glass breaking, gunfire and all that commotion! It was an adrenaline rush for sure'

'I knew that, you know, he wouldn't be out there for very long and I wouldn't have him locked at this age for the rest of my life, but now I'm now I'm locked with him forever. I wanted him to be close to me,' Kevin explained.

'He comes off very well in the movie. He's so beautiful. I have not ever pushed that on any of my children. There was so many things about a set he didn't even know really because I haven't immersed them in it. Their lives are their lives.'

Costner had planned on casting his 14-year-old daughter Grace Avery Costner as the character Elizabeth, but she wanted to be a normal child and didn't want to leave her friends or school behind.

'There are kids that would kill to do that, but she knows herself,' the twice-divorced father-of-seven explained.

'It was a struggle and she cried and she didn't want to hurt my feelings. Whenever I can trap my children, I do, to come be with me, you know?'

The two-time Oscar winner did manage to convince his son Joe Tedrick Costner to portray a mystery role in the third chapter of Horizon.

The 36-year-old Dudley frontman previously had small roles in Kevin's films Tin Cup (1996) and The Postman (1997).

Costner spent $38M of his own money and mortgaged a beachfront property in Santa Barbara in order to help fund his epic, set before and after the Civil War, which received a seven-minute standing ovation at Cannes Film Festival on May 19.

Hayes - who was 13 at the time of filming - continued: 'It felt like the greatest way that we could bond over something we both love and to create lasting memories together. Working with my dad was an unforgettable moment in time' 

The 69-year-old Yellowstone star named his character Hayes Ellison after his son, whom he just wanted to 'keep close' 

Kevin explained in his cover story: 'I knew that, you know, he wouldn't be out there for very long and I wouldn't have him locked at this age for the rest of my life, but now I'm now I'm locked with him forever. I wanted him to be close to me'

Costner added: 'He comes off very well in the movie. He's so beautiful. I have not ever pushed that on any of my children. There was so many things about a set he didn't even know really because I haven't immersed them in it. Their lives are their lives' 

Costner had planned on casting his 14-year-old daughter Grace Avery Costner (R, pictured May 19) as the character Elizabeth, but she wanted to be a normal child and didn't want to leave her friends or school behind

The twice-divorced father-of-seven explained: 'There are kids that would kill to do that, but she knows herself. It was a struggle and she cried and she didn't want to hurt my feelings. Whenever I can trap my children, I do, to come be with me, you know?' 

The two-time Oscar winner did manage to convince his son Joe Tedrick Costner (R) to portray a mystery role in the third chapter of Horizon

Costner spent $38M of his own money and mortgaged a beachfront property in Santa Barbara in order to help fund his epic, set before and after the Civil War, which received a seven-minute standing ovation at Cannes Film Festival on May 19 

Hayes recalled: 'The best part of being in Cannes with my family was watching all my dad's hard work come to life in the theater. Seeing my dad's emotional response, hearing and feeling the audience applaud him, the standing ovation, taking it all in... it was heartwarming to see everyone appreciate the time and love he put into the film'

The avid surfer got to walk the red carpet alongside his sister Grace, his 17-year-old brother Cayden Wyatt Costner (2-L) as well as his half-sisters 37-year-old Lily McCall Costner (R) and 40-year-old Annie Clayton Costner (L)

Worryingly, Horizon Part One currently has a dismal 43% critic approval rating (out of 28 reviews) on Rotten Tomatoes 

The first chapter of Horizon: An American Saga hits US theaters June 28 and the second chapter hits US theaters August 16 

The Emmy winner pays his ex-wife #2 Christine Baumgartner $63K/month in child support to help care for their three children after settling their contentious divorce battle on September 19 - five months after their legal separation following 18 years of marriage (pictured in 2019) 

'The best part of being in Cannes with my family was watching all my dad's hard work come to life in the theater,' Hayes recalled.

'Seeing my dad's emotional response, hearing and feeling the audience applaud him, the standing ovation, taking it all in... it was heartwarming to see everyone appreciate the time and love he put into the film.'

The avid surfer got to walk the red carpet alongside his sister Grace, his 17-year-old brother Cayden Wyatt Costner as well as his half-sisters 37-year-old Lily McCall Costner and 40-year-old Annie Clayton Costner.

Worryingly, Horizon Part One currently has a dismal 43% critic approval rating (out of 28 reviews) on Rotten Tomatoes.

The first chapter of Horizon: An American Saga hits US theaters June 28 and the second chapter hits US theaters August 16.

The film also features Sienna Miller, Sam Worthington, Jena Malone, Michael Rooker, Danny Huston, Luke Wilson, and Jamie Campbell Bower.

The Emmy winner pays his ex-wife #2 Christine Baumgartner $63K/month in child support to help care for their three children after settling their contentious divorce battle on September 19 - five months after their legal separation following 18 years of marriage.

Kevin fathered three children - daughter Anne, daughter Lily, and son Joe - during his 16-year marriage to Cindy Costner, which ended in 1994.

Costner also has a 28-year-old son Liam with his ex-girlfriend Bridget Rooney.