Kevin was born in Lynwood, California on January 18, 1955, the third child of Bill Costner, a ditch digger and ultimately an electric line servicer for Southern California Edison, and Sharon. His older brother, Dan, was born in 1950. A middle brother died at birth in 1953. His Dad's job required him to move regularly, which caused Kevin to feel like an Army kid, always the new kid at school, which led to him being a daydreamer. As a teen, he sang in the Baptist church choir, wrote poetry, and took writing classes. At 18, he built his own canoe and paddled his way down the rivers that Lewis & Clark followed to the Pacific. Despite his present height, he was only 5'2" when he graduated high school. Nonetheless, he still managed to be a basketball, football, and baseball star. In 1973, he enrolled at California State University at Fullerton, where he majored in business. During that period, Kevin decided to take acting lessons five nights a week. He graduated with a business degree in 1978 and married his college sweetheart, Cindy Silva. He initially took a marketing job in Orange County. Everything changed when he accidentally met Richard Burton on a flight from Mexico. Burton advised him to go completely after acting if that is what he wanted. He quit his job and moved to Hollywood soon after. He drove a truck, worked on a deep sea fishing boat, and gave bus tours to stars' homes before finally making his own way into the films. After making one soft core sex film, he vowed to not work again if that was the only work he could do. He didn't work for nearly six years, while he waited for a proper break. That break came with The Big Chill, even though his scenes ended up on the cutting room floor -- he was remembered by director Lawrence Kasdan when he decided to make Silverado. Costner's career took off after that.
Dragonfly (2002): $15,000,000
Thirteen Days (2000): $15,000,000
JFK (1991): $7,000,000

Announced players who had been selected to Major League Baseball's All Century Team at the 1999 All Star game at Fenway Park in Boston. Voted most erotic male by the readers of the German magazine 'Amica.' [May 1998] Graduated from Villa Park High School in Villa Park, California. Father of Joe Costner (b. 1988), Annie Costner (b. 1984) and Lily Costner (b. 1986) Son of Bill Costner and Sharon Costner Ranked #27 in Empire (UK) magazine's "The Top 100 Movie Stars of All Time" list. [October 1997] Revealed, via blood tests, that Costner is father of child born to Bridget Rooney. Child is called Liam, born November 1996. [January 1997] Born at 9:40pm-PST. His first wife, Cindy Silva, played Snow White for Disneyland. Chosen by People magazine as one of the 50 Most Beautiful People in the world. [1991] Chosen by People magazine as one of the 50 Most Beautiful People in the world. [1990] He turned down the leading role in WarGames, which was played by Matthew Broderick, to play Alex in The Big Chill. His part was later cut. Listed as one of twelve "Promising New Actors of 1986" in John Willis' Screen World, Vol. 38. [1986] He is a supporter of a British soccer team Arsenal. Chosen by Empire magazine as one of the 100 Sexiest Stars in film history (#87). [1995] Was considered for the lead in Air Force One (the part eventually went to Harrison Ford). His frontal nude scene in For Love of the Game was reportedly deleted after being met with laughter at test screenings. His character in Dragonfly was written with the intention of Harrison Ford taking the film role. Ford turned down the role to take a year off from movies. Costner & Ford's casting choices have crossed paths many times before. Harrison Ford turned down the Jack Ryan role in The Hunt for Red October as did Kevin Costner. Harrison Ford instead made Presumed Innocent and Kevin Costner made his Oscar-winning Dances with Wolves. The Jack Ryan role went to then character actor Alec Baldwin. Harrison Ford later turned down the Jim Garrison role in Oliver Stone's JFK and Kevin Costner decided to take it after a meeting with the director Stone. The President of the United States role in the mega-blockbuster Air Force One was written specifically for Kevin Costner. In fact, Kevin Costner helped develop the action film with Beacon Communications and writer Andrew Marlowe in 1996. But, Kevin had to eventually pass on the film because of work delays with his futuristic The Postman. Costner called up Harrison Ford personally and offered Harrison a once-in-a-lifetime role. Harrison Ford accepted the role and has always thanked Kevin Costner in interviews for his kind gesture. Air Force One went on to become one of the highest grossing films of all time. Member of the Delta Chi Fraternity, along with G.D. Spradlin Alan Heitz and Ashton Kutcher. Sioux nation gave Costner a tract of land after making Dances with Wolves. Costner built a golf course on that land. Has starred in two films about John F. Kennedy, but hasn't played Kennedy; the two films are JFK and Thirteen Days. Before hitting it big in the acting business Kevin worked as a skipper on the ride, the Jungle Cruise, at Disneyland in Anaheim, California. 26 June 2003 - Announced engagement to girlfriend Christine Baumgartner, they have been a couple for 4 years. For his entire career, he has purposely avoided doing sequels to his films. So far, he is one of the few blockbuster stars to never come back for a sequel. Turned down a role in Platoon because he thought it portrayed American soldiers in Vietnam negatively and didn't want to insult his brother, who was a Vietnam veteran. In his role as Crash Davis in Bull Durham, he states his personal beliefs. One of those beliefs is "...Lee Harvey Oswald acted alone". In his role as Jim Garrison in JFK, he plays a lawyer determined to prove that Oswald did not act alone. Co-owns the Midnight Star casino in Deadwood, South Dakota, which displays some of his movie memorabilia. Opened the Tatanka Interpretive site in Deadwood, South Dakota, in 2003. The site features a bronze statue depicting the Lakota Sioux buffalo hunt. There is also a museum, gift shop, and living history of the Lakota Sioux tribe. Tatanka is the Lakota word for buffalo. On his and Christine Baumgartner's wedding day, there were 500 guests, including: Oprah Winfrey, Bruce Willis, Tim Allen, Don Johnson, Jack Nicholson, Michael Douglas and wife Catherine Zeta-Jones. Owns a 165 acre ranch outside of Aspen Supports Arsenal Football Club (UK). In 2003 he was working in London and decided to go to a game, only to find out Arsenal were playing away from home, so he booked a private helicopter to take him to the match 160 miles away! He has played at the celebrity golf tournament Pebble Beach, California, every year starting from 1996. He joins Sylvester Stallone, Prince, Roberto Benigni, William Shatner, and Tom Green as being the only actors to direct themselves in performances that would "win" them a Razzie Award for Worst Actor. Some of his favorite films are How the West Was Won, Cool Hand Luke, Giant, The Bridge on the River Kwai, The Great Escape (1963), Hombre, 'Searchers, The (1956)_ , 'Man Who Shot Liberty Valance, The (1962)_ , Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid, and 'Magnificent Seven, The (1960)_ . Some of his favorite directors are Frank Capra, George Stevens, John Sturges, Martin Scorsese, Francis Ford Coppola and Steven Spielberg. Movies he likes are Red River, Ben-Hur, Lawrence of Arabia, and Spartacus. His favorite movies are long epics with a lot of stories. His favorite genre is the Western. Turned down the role of Bill in Quentin Tarantino's Kill Bill: Vol. 1 and Kill Bill: Vol. 2 to direct Open Range instead. Along with Warren Beatty, Clint Eastwood, Mel Gibson, Richard Attenborough and Robert Redford one of 6 people to win and Academy Award for "Best Director", though they are mainly known as actors. Has done more baseball themed films than any other actor. Goes to Omaha, Nebraska, during the summer for the College World Series if California State Fullerton (his alma mater) qualifies for the tournament. He and his second wife, Christine Baumgartner, honeymooned in St. Andrews, Scotland. Their honeymoon coincided with the annual Dunhill Links Celebrity Golf Tournament, where regulars include Samuel L. Jackson, Tom Cruise, and Michael Douglas. From 2005-2006 he had owned a home in the Hollywood Hills. But in April/2006 he had sold his 10,000-square-foot Spanish Hacienda, on an acre behind gates, his five bedrooms plus staff quarters, a media room, a billiards room, a tennis court, a gym, a pool, a spa and grassy yards. Sold for $11.5 million to American Idol host Ryan Seacrest. In April 2006 he spent $28.5 million on an oceanfront 17-acre ranch in Santa Barbara County, California. He and wife Christine Baumgartner are raising horses on their new ranch. Has two films on the American Film Institute's 100 Most Inspiring Movies of All Time. They are "Dances with Wolves" (1990) at #59 and "Field of Dreams" (1989) at #28. From the mid-1990s, following the commercial and critical failure of his ambitious science-fiction epic Waterworld, his box office appeal waned somewhat, reviving slightly with the political drama Thirteen Days. Was considered for the role of Col. James Dolittle in Pearl Harbor but turned it down. The part went to Alec Baldwin. Was considered the role of Cleveland Heep in Lady in the Water but the studio couldn't contact Costner. The part was given to Paul Giamatti instead. Is a member of the Delta Chi Fraternity.