I guess, deep down, I always knew Kevin Costner would one day create an oil-separating machine that would save us all from drowning in a tsunami of leaking BP oil.

That must be why he’s been my favorite actor since I was twelve. Subconsciously, I must have known he was going to save the world someday.

For years, I assumed my Kevin Costner fandom was a byproduct of being a baseball-obsessed lad who was first introduced to the actor by way of the film Field of Dreams — a love poem to the game if there ever was one. When you’re a 12-year-old boy infatuated with baseball, and you see the definitive baseball movie, you tend to latch onto the actors portraying the characters in the film.

That’s why I was rooting for the bad guy who looked like Ray Liotta  in Terminator 2. It’s why I stalked James Earl Jones for several years. And, it’s why Kevin Costner became my favorite actor.

Or, at least I thought it was the reason. Now I know it’s because a part of me knew he would eventually save mankind.

I bet all those people who jumped off the Costner Bandwagon after Waterworld (which was underrated as an action flick) and The Postman (which was unfairly ridiculed) are feeling pretty foolish right about now.

Not only did they miss seeing films like the hugely underrated western Open Range or the feel-good movie of the century Mr. Brooks (Costner kills the inexplicable Dane Cook), but they missed out on the chance to say:

“Oh, you’re a [insert name of any other actor] fan? That’s nice. But tell me, did [actor] ever SAVE THE HUMAN RACE!?!?”

He starred in the best sports movie of all time. He killed Dane Cook. (Yes, I realize it was just a movie. He’s just working up to the real thing. Give him time.) And now he’s saving us from annihilation.

Kevin Costner is my favorite actor and has been for twenty years.

Jealous?