Yellowstone star Kevin Costner is one of Hollywood’s top actors. When he is not dominating his Paramount network drama series, the father of seven is a major family man. He and his second wife, Christine Baumgartner, are proud parents that love spending time with their adorable blended family.
“My life, for whatever people think about it, is really so normal,” Kevin shared in a 2014 interview with HuffPost. “I love making movies. I love making music. Those have brought a level of worldwide fame on some level, but it’s not really how I think of myself. It doesn’t help me get through my day at all here. I love my family and I love being a father!”
Kevin and his first wife, Cindy Costner, were married from 1978 to 1994. They welcomed their first child, Annie, in 1984. Annie followed in her famous father’s footsteps and works as a director, producer and actress in Hollywood. The pair welcomed their second daughter, Lilly, in August 1986. Much like her big sister, Lilly is also an actress. Kevin and Cindy’s son, Joe, was born in January 1988. He starred alongside Lilly in the 1997 film The Postman.
The Bodyguard star briefly dated Bridget Rooney soon after his divorce from Cindy. The pair welcomed a son, Liam Timothy, on November 15, 1996. Kevin later married model and designer Christine after dating on and off for four years. Their first son together, Cayden, was born in May 2007, followed by son Hayes in February 2009 and daughter Grace in June 2010.
With a 26-year age gap between Kevin’s youngest and oldest child, he referred to his brood as “two sets of children” in a 2015 interview with Closer Weekly. Similarly, Kevin opened up to HuffPost about becoming a dad in his 30s and welcoming more children in his 50s.
“It isn’t different. I’m happy to not have to look back and go, ‘You know, I didn’t do it right the first time,’” the California native said. “That would be a disaster for me to go, ‘I was so busy doing my career, doing my things that gosh, this second time I really have so much time and I really got to see what it’s about.’ I didn’t. I had reverse of that. I felt really like I didn’t miss a thing with my first three.”
On Becoming a Dad the First Time Around
Kevin gained prominence as a huge movie star in the ‘80s with roles in The Untouchables, No Way Out and Field of Dreams. Even with attending all of the movie premieres and long filming schedules, he still made sure to put his children first.
“I feel really good about the kind of dad I was the first time around,” Kevin told Good Housekeeping in 2007. “I was there for all the little moments, like when my kids forgot to sing in their school play because they were too busy waving at me.”
On Showering His Kids With Love
Kevin moved around California as a child due to his father’s career as an electrician. He worked hard to solidify himself as a Hollywood actor with a $250 million net worth. The Dances with Wolves star has always taught his kids about working hard toward their dreams.
“All of my kids are showered with love, which is what’s important. I didn’t have much as a child, but if you’d asked me back then, I thought I had everything,” the actor told Good Housekeeping. “We had this dinky backyard in Compton, California, and I thought it was a kingdom. I’ve always taught my kids that they have to work hard and stand on their own two feet.”
On the Importance of Family
Kevin was given the Lifetime Achievement Award at the 20th Annual Critics’ Choice Movie Awards in 2015. In his acceptance speech, he gave the sweetest shout-out to his children.
“All the years, all the tears saying goodbye at airports as I headed off to do yet another movie. Their brave faces trying to comprehend the time that I would be away and when I would come home,” he said. “Hugs that never wanted to end. My children have always been bigger than the movies. They’ve always been more important. It’s because of them that I’ve been able to do what I love.”
On Loving His Children
Kevin has made sure that his household is full of love. After welcoming his three youngest children, he had the most adorable comment about spreading love equally to all of his kids.
“It almost seemed impossible to love the first [child] any more than you loved them. And then suddenly the second one comes, and you think there’s so much room for love. There’s so much room,” Kevin told Mom.com in 2015.
On Father’s Day Gifts
There was one Father’s Day gift that stood out to Kevin that made him chuckle in a 2018 interview with Closer.
“You get great letters from them [on Father’s Day], and I can see how they’re evolving,” he said. “Little Grace ended her letter with, ‘Your best child.’ We’re going to have to talk about empathy and we’re going to talk about perspective a little bit.”
