In a holiday season overflowing with animated reindeer, rom-com mishaps, and feel-good family reunions, one television event emerged as the profound emotional powerhouse no one anticipated: Kevin Costner Presents: The First Christmas. This two-hour ABC special, which premiered on December 9, 2025, and became available for streaming the next day on Hulu and Disney+, has touched hearts across the nation in ways that transcend typical holiday viewing. Narrated and hosted by Academy Award-winning actor Kevin Costner, the program offers a reverent, historically grounded retelling of the Nativity story—one that strips away centuries of pageantry to reveal the raw humanity, peril, and divine wonder at its core. Viewers, from lifelong believers to the casually curious, have flooded social media and review sites with tearful testimonials, declaring it a “masterpiece,” “beyond anything Hollywood has ever attempted,” and “the most moving depiction of the Nativity ever captured on screen.”
Costner, whose gravelly voice and earnest presence have defined iconic roles from Dances with Wolves to Yellowstone, opens the special with a deeply personal reflection. Sipping coffee on a simple set, he recounts his own childhood debut in a church Nativity play at age four—his one line, “Hark!”—and how those early experiences planted seeds of faith and storytelling that endure today. “We all think we know the story,” he says, inviting audiences in. “But let’s go back, really back, to the real people in dangerous times who changed everything.” What follows is not a glossy fairy tale but an intimate journey into first-century Judea, blending cinematic reenactments filmed in the rugged landscapes of Morocco with insights from biblical scholars and theologians.
At the center are Mary and Joseph, portrayed with quiet intensity by young actors Gia Patel and Ethan Thorne. Patel’s Mary is a teenage girl overwhelmed by an angelic visitation yet resolute in her “yes” to God’s plan—a performance that captures vulnerability without sentimentality. Thorne’s Joseph embodies the quiet strength of a carpenter facing scandal, doubt, and exile, his protective love for Mary shining through in subtle gestures. Their betrothal, the census journey to Bethlehem, the rejection at the inn (reimagined not as a wooden stable but a humble cave, aligning with historical likelihood), and the miraculous birth unfold with a realism that feels startlingly fresh.
The production doesn’t shy away from the era’s brutality. Roman occupation looms large—taxes crushing the poor, soldiers enforcing decrees with casual violence, King Herod’s paranoia culminating in the heartbreaking slaughter of innocents. These moments are handled with restraint yet unflinching honesty, reminding viewers that the “silent night” was anything but peaceful. Intercut with the drama are thoughtful commentaries from experts across Christian traditions, unpacking cultural contexts like the stigma of unwed pregnancy, the grueling 90-mile trek from Nazareth, and the magi’s long, arduous pilgrimage. Costner weaves it all together, his narration warm yet probing, urging audiences to see beyond ornaments and carols to the revolutionary hope born in a manger.
What elevates the special to “life-changing” status for so many is its emotional authenticity. Families watching together report tears flowing freely—not from manipulation, but from a renewed sense of awe. “I cried through the entire thing,” one viewer shared online. “It made the Christmas story feel real again, like it was happening to people I know.” Churches across the country replayed clips in services, praising its fidelity to Scripture while filling in gaps with informed, respectful speculation. Parents noted how it sparked meaningful conversations with children about faith, sacrifice, and the true reason for the season.
Costner’s involvement feels profoundly personal. In interviews surrounding the premiere, he spoke openly about faith’s role in his life, describing the biblical stories as “fantastic” and enduring for a reason. “I’ve had tremendous ups, and I’ve been bruised equally,” he reflected, tying the Nativity’s themes of perseverance to his own journey. His childhood church experiences, including watching his mother sing in the choir, clearly resonate; the special ends with a gentle reminder to “keep the Christ in Christmas,” a line that struck chords with audiences weary of commercialization.
Critics and viewers alike have hailed the balance struck here—reverent without being preachy, educational without being dry, dramatic without sensationalism. The Morocco filming lends breathtaking authenticity: dusty roads under relentless sun, crowded Bethlehem streets alive with period detail, the stark beauty of a starlit cave birth. Some noted minor quibbles—accents varying for accessibility, certain speculative scenes—but overwhelmingly, the response has been one of gratitude. “At 65, I learned things I’d never heard before,” one reviewer wrote. “Bravo to Kevin Costner for this gift.”
In a year when holiday programming often prioritizes escapism, The First Christmas dares to confront the story’s harder edges: fear, rejection, tyranny, flight into exile. Yet it never loses sight of the light piercing that darkness—the shepherds’ wonder, the angels’ proclamation, the quiet promise of a Savior. Families gathered around televisions found themselves hushed in those sacred silences, then moved to embrace, pray, or simply sit in gratitude.
Churches have embraced it as a teaching tool, with pastors recommending it for Advent studies. Online forums buzz with discussions: Was the cave birth more accurate? How terrifying must Mary’s situation have been? What does Herod’s rage say about power today? The special has reignited passion for year-round biblical engagement, with calls for more such programming echoing loudly.
Kevin Costner didn’t just host a holiday segment; he delivered a revelation. By humanizing Mary and Joseph—showing their doubts, exhaustion, joy—he transported viewers straight into Bethlehem, making a 2,000-year-old miracle feel immediate and overwhelming. Millions emerged from watching it changed: tears dried, hearts fuller, faith refreshed. In an age of fleeting distractions, this was television that lingered, healed, and reminded the world why Christmas endures.
As one tearful viewer put it: “This wasn’t a retelling. It was a resurrection—of wonder, of intimacy, of the sacred. Thank you, Kevin Costner, for giving us the First Christmas like we’ve never seen it before.”
