Kevin Costner is an iconic actor, director, producer, and musician known for his distinctive performances and many critically acclaimed films. He is also the winner of two Academy Awards, three Golden Globes, a Primetime Emmy Award, and two Screen Actors Guild Awards.
Real heroes are men who fall and fail and are flawed, but win out in the end because they’ve stayed true to their ideals and beliefs and commitments.
Kevin Costner, Cigar Aficionado Magazine, Nov/Dec 2000
Early Life
Kevin Michael Costner was born on January 18, 1955, in Lynwood, California, USA. He was the youngest of three boys, although his middle brother died at birth. His parents, Sharon Rae (a welfare worker) and William Costner (an electrician and utilities executive), raised him in Compton, California. Costner’s heritage includes German, English, Irish, Scottish, and Welsh ancestry.
Costner, not particularly academically inclined, excelled in extracurricular activities. He was active in sports, took piano lessons, wrote poetry, and sang in the First Baptist Choir. His love for Western films was sparked by watching “How the West Was Won” as a child. He graduated with a Bachelor of Arts degree in marketing and finance from California State University, Fullerton, in 1978.
Journey to Stardom
Kevin Costner’s journey to stardom began with his decision to pursue acting full-time after a chance encounter with actor Richard Burton. He moved to Hollywood, where he worked various jobs, including driving a truck and giving bus tours of stars’ homes.
His first significant role came in the film “The Big Chill” (1983), although his scenes were ultimately cut. However, director Lawrence Kasdan remembered him and cast him in “Silverado” (1985), which marked the beginning of his rise to fame.
His ability to portray diverse characters, from the heroic to the complex, has solidified his status as a versatile actor. Rising to fame with acclaimed roles in films like “The Untouchables” and “Field of Dreams.”
Brian De Palma’s The Untouchables he played the role of Eliot Ness, the famous American Prohibition agent. The film tells the story of how Ness made a team to bring down the iconic gangster and mob boss Al Capone. The film also starred Charles Martin Smith, Andy García, Robert De Niro, and Sean Connery
In the fantasy drama Field of Dreams (1989), Costner played Ray Kinsella, an Iowa farmer who builds a baseball field in his cornfield. The classic film gets three Academy Award nominations.
Kevin Costner – The Filmmaker
He made his directorial debut with “Dances with Wolves,” which not only won critical acclaim but also earned him two Oscars for Best Director and Best Picture. For the film, he gets nominations in three categories for a single movie, achieved a unique feat in itself. Besides Best Director and Best Picture, He gets nomination for Academy Award for Best Actor. His portrayal of Lieutenant John J. Dunbar remains one of his most iconic roles.
He later starred in and co-produced Waterworld (1995) and directed The Postman (1997) and Open Range (2003).
Costner’s other notable films include No Way Out (1987), Tin Cup (1996), For Love of the Game (1999), Thirteen Days (2000), Mr. Brooks (2007), Swing Vote (2008), The Company Men (2010), 3 Days to Kill (2014), Draft Day (2014), Black or White (2014), McFarland, USA (2015), and The Highwaymen (2019).
TV Career and Later work
On television, Costner portrayed Devil Anse Hatfield in the miniseries “Hatfields & McCoys (2012),” winning the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Limited or Anthology Series or Movie. Since 2018, he has starred as John Dutton on the Paramount Network original drama series “Yellowstone,” for which he received a Screen Actors Guild Award nomination and a Golden Globe award.
More recently, he directed and acted in the epic Western Horizon: An American Saga—Chapters 1 and 2. Chapter 3 of the series will be released in 2025.
Ineresting Facts
Kevin Costner turned down a role in “Platoon” (1986) because he felt it portrayed American soldiers negatively and didn’t want to insult his brother, who was a Vietnam veteran. He is a skilled horse rider and performed his own riding scenes in films like “Dances with Wolves.”
Costner is the lead singer of the band Kevin Costner & Modern West, which has toured internationally. He co-owns the Midnight Star casino in Deadwood, South Dakota, which displays some of his movie memorabilia.
Costner has twice taken roles refused by both Harrison Ford and Mel Gibson, including Eliot Ness in “The Untouchables” and Jim Garrison in “JFK.”
Kevin Costner married Cindy Silva in 1978, and the couple had three children. The couple divorcied in 1994. In 2004, he married Christine Baumgartner, with whom he has three children. Known for his philanthropic efforts, Costner is part of the various charitable organisations.
Whether embodying a baseball player, a lawman, or a post-apocalyptic wanderer, Kevin Costner’s on-screen presence is marked by authenticity and charisma. Off-screen, his commitment to environmental causes and love for country music further enrich his multifaceted persona, making him a beloved figure in the world of entertainment.
Kevin Costner on IMDB
