Kevin Costner to Receive 2025 Motion Picture Sound Editors’ Filmmaker Award

Oscar-winning actor and filmmaker Kevin Costner will receive the Motion Picture Sound Editors’ (MPSE) Filmmaker Award, while supervising sound editor Greg Hedgepath will receive the Career Achievement Award from the organization.

Both awards will be presented at MPSE’s 72nd Annual Golden Reel Awards Gala on Feb. 23 at the Ebell Theater in Los Angeles.

The MPSE Filmmaker Award is awarded annually to filmmakers of distinction. According to the organization, “It is bestowed upon an individual whose career has demonstrated a great appreciation and understanding of the impact of sound editing. The MPSE Career Achievement Award is presented to a person whose career has made a significant impact on the sound community through exemplary work, service, or leadership.” 

Says MPSE President David Barber: “Kevin Costner has captivated audiences with his powerful storytelling throughout his illustrious career. From epic Westerns to poignant dramas, his use of sound as an integral component of his cinematic storytelling has stirred our emotions and immersed viewers in the worlds he’s created for decades. This passion for sound is abundantly clear in his latest ambitious project, the Horizon saga. We are thrilled to honor him with the Filmmaker Award, recognizing his exceptional contributions to the art of storytelling through sound in film and television.”

Costner has had a long-standing career in Hollywood. He got his start with the ensemble drama The Big Chill and then he went on to rack up an impressive filmography of performances. His filmography includes films such as JFK, Silverado, No Way Out, Bull Durham, Field of Dreams, The Bodyguard and Wyatt Earp. He also played Jonathan Kent, Superman’s father, in 2013’s Man of Steel. Of course, Costner also recently starred in Taylor Sheridan’s series Yellowstone, which he departed in its fifth season.

He got his directorial start with the film 1990’s Dances with Wolves, and he would also direct 2003’s Open Range, which was a critical and box office hit. Costner is currently busy at work with Horizon: An American Saga series of films, which are directed, co-written, produced by and starring Costner. When Costner is not working on films, he sings lead vocals and plays lead guitar in his band, Modern West, and can be seen playing venues across the country. Their most recent album was released in 2020 and is titled Tales from Yellowstone.

Hedgepath is a supervising sound editor who has an extensive career of working in sound for TV and film for two decades. He is a two-time recipient of the Golden Reel Award. His career highlights include sound designing the tornadoes in Twister (1996) and the giant bug-like aliens in Starship Troopers (1997). Other films he worked on include The Incredible Hulk (2008), Footloose (2011), Selma (2014), Straight Outta Compton (2015), Queen & Slim (2019) and Coming 2 America (2020).

Before working in the entertainment industry, Hedgepath majored in communication at the University of Maryland and minored in electronics. He also studied sound recording at the Eastman School of Music. He got his start in the industry when he worked with Lucasfilm in Northern California.

“Greg Hedgepath is a true titan in the world of sound,” Barber says. “His contributions to cinema are immense, spanning decades and encompassing a remarkable range of genres. From the heart-pounding intensity of Speed and Twister to the nuanced drama of Selma and Straight Outta Compton, Greg’s work has consistently elevated storytelling through the power of sound. He is a master craftsman, an innovator, and an inspiration. This award is a testament to the profound impact he has had on the art of sound.”

The MPSE was founded in 1953, and they are described as “a global community of visionary sound artists who define the sonic experience of cinema, television, and games.” They describe MPSE members as the “not-so-silent heroes” behind immersive audio that helps bring cinema to life.

The MPSE spans 40 countries in six continents and they are dedicated to recognizing the importance that sound design and sound artists play in the art of visual storytelling and cinema.