American actor, cool and determined, driven to get what he aims for. A graduate of Fullerton in 1978 with a degree in business administration, he discovered acting. His films include “No Way Out,” 1987, “Bull Durham,” 1988 and “Field of Dreams,” 1989.
He starred, directed a co-produced a winner, “Dances With Wolves,” written by his pal George Blake, that opened November 1990. The award-winning film, visually breathtaking, was a three-hour Western epic shot in South Dakota. It scored Oscars as Best American actor, sex-symbol, director and producer. He emerged as a leading international movie star in a short and remarkable career.
His father Bill, was a telephone lineman whose work took him and his older brother Dan from one small California town to another throughout Costner’s childhood, changing high schools four times. He was a shy and insecure boy, largely due to his short stature of 5’2″ (it wasn’t until college that he sprouted to 6’2″). He rarely dated and described himself as a loner and a late bloomer. Academically, he was an average student but excelled at sports while he dreamt of a professional career in baseball.
Costner majored in marketing at State University in Los Angeles and while in his senior year, discovered acting. He earned a business degree in 1978 at Fullerton. He then took a job in a marketing firm where he quit after one month, making a commitment to dedicate himself full-time to acting.
He met Cindy Silva, a biology student, at a college party and married her after graduation in 1978. Together they had three children, Annie in April 1984, Libby in August 1986 and Joe in 1988.
During the 1980s, he starred in many films such as “The Untouchables,” “No Way Out,” “Silverado,” “The Big Chill” and “Field of Dreams.” In 1992, “The Bodyguard” grossed nearly $400 million. He is best known for his work in “Dances with Wolves,” the first major movie star to win Academy Awards for both directing and producing a blockbuster film. The movie went on to win him seven Academy Awards including Best Picture of 1990, as well as the respect of the Hollywood community. He also received a Best Actor nomination for his role in the film. “Dances” also earned him the respect of the Native American Sioux family to which he was made a member on 10/19/1990. The Sioux were not so pleased to later hear about his plans to build a casino-resort on their land, along with his brother-personal financial advisor.
Costner is described as being a perfectionist, hard worker, determined, cool and private. He does not feel that he is that interesting and does not enjoy talking about himself. Modestly he says, “I don’t know why so much attention is paid to me or why so much money comes our way. I am glad it happened, but I don’t understand.” He even refers to himself as an average looking bumpkin.
In 1991 he released an album in Japan titled “The Simple Truth” under the alias “Roving Boy.” In 1994, his wife divorced him after 16 years of marriage, receiving an $80 million settlement from the divorce the following year. They share joint custody of their children and remain friends. Costner went through a rocky period, neither establishing another solid relationship nor continuing his winning streak. He produced and starred in one of the most expensive flops to come out of Hollywood, “Waterworld.” In the 11 years following “Wolves,” he kept on a non-stop skid with his “Dragonfly,” 2002 for which one reviewer commented that he maintained an acting mode of a little more than a scowl.
After media attention for several beautiful companions, he went on to have a child, a boy named Liam, with Bridget Rooney, granddaughter of the founder of the Pittsburgh Steelers. Their romance had a short run of a few months. In 2002, he broke up after two years with model Christine Baumgartner, 27. His strongest relationships are with his kids, who often stay at his home in the Hollywood Hills or at his 35-acre spread in Aspen, CO. He and Baumgarnter reconciled and in June 2003, they announced their engagement.
Costner married his girlfriend, handbag designer Christine Baumgartner, on September 25, 2004 on his 165-acre ranch outside Aspen. Their first child together, a son named Cayden Wyatt Costner, was born on May 6, 2007 in Los Angeles.
Link to Wikipedia biography