Kevin Costner turned up at a Pete Buttigieg rally (Photo: Pete for America)

Pete Buttigieg has earned an endorsement from Hollywood actor Kevin Costner.

The Dances with Wolves Oscar winner made a surprise appearance at Buttigieg’s town hall rally in Indianola, Iowa on Sunday evening.

Kevin Costner: Pete Buttigieg could bring unity to America

Speaking at the event, Costner said: “Whether your road leads you to Pete, like mine has, that’s for you to judge. When Pete speaks of unity, it’s the kind of unity I’ve been waiting and hoping to hear about.

“The strength he describes isn’t the kind that limits compassion. When Pete invoked the name of America, it’s as someone who has gone out and fought for it.

“He’s a man who not only understands how the world looks at us, but how history will, and how we ought to look at ourselves.

“Maybe, most importantly, I see Pete as a man of his moment and maybe of his time.”

Candidate has a strong lead in Iowa

Buttigieg has strong a polling lead in Iowa ahead of the Democratic caucuses, which will take place on February 3 and officially kick off the 2020 primary season.

A recent poll showed him leading the field on 26 percent in the state, well ahead of Elizabeth Warren, Bernie Sanders and Joe Biden.

An early win in Iowa could be crucial for Buttigieg to build momentum in the campaign, having hovered in fourth place nationally.

Costner, whose 1989 film Field of Dreams was famously set in Iowa, told voters: “That power, that awesome responsibility, originates here on the ground in Iowa.

“What you do with your vote is put those first seeds in the ground and see what grows next year.”

The actor previously campaigned for Barack Obama ahead of the 2012 election.

Buttigieg has taken donations from many high-profile Hollywood figures ahead of the primaries, with Pose creator Ryan Murphy hosting a fundraiser for him in June.

Hollywood stars including Deadpool actor Ryan Reynolds, Glee‘s Jane Lynch, West Wing‘s Bradley Whitford and Mandy Moore of This is Us are among those to have made donations to Buttigieg, according to federal records.