Irish director Neil Jordan (whose forthcoming film Byzantium is already a critical darling) has just revealed that one of the most All-American actors in Hollywood wanted to play the lead in his Michael Collins biopic when he first approached the studio.

According to the Evening Herald, actor Kevin Costner first showed interest in the role, which did not seem out of the question to Jordan as he admitted he knew nothing about Collins when he decided to make the movie.

Jordan said that although he had studied early Irish history in college, he 'never had that much interest in these stalwart figures.'

When he first started to research Collins he found he didn't like him, fearing he was a lot like Mussolini. 'The interesting thing about Collins is that in the end he did not become that."

The Irish director said the movie might never have been made had it not followed his blockbuster homoerotic supernatural thriller Interview With A Vampire, because he believed Hollywood was simply humoring him after his international hit.