History of Kevin Costner in Timeline

Kevin Costner is a highly acclaimed American actor and filmmaker recognized with numerous awards, including two Academy Awards, three Golden Globe Awards, and a Primetime Emmy Award. His career spans both acting and directing, cementing his status as a significant figure in the entertainment industry.

Sections (4)

Full Timeline Early Life & Education Career & Achievements Success & Recognition

1975: Beginning of Relationship with Cindy Silva

In 1975, Kevin Costner began dating Cindy Silva, a fellow student, while in college.

1984: Birth of First Daughter

In 1984, Kevin Costner and Cindy Silva welcomed their first daughter.

1986: Birth of Second Daughter

In 1986, Kevin Costner and Cindy Silva welcomed their second daughter.

1988: Birth of Son with Cindy Silva

In 1988, Kevin Costner and Cindy Silva had a son.

1990: Academy Awards for Dances With Wolves

In 1990, Kevin Costner received two Academy Awards for Best Picture and Best Director for "Dances With Wolves".

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1991: Opening of Midnight Star Casino and Restaurant

In 1991, Kevin Costner opened the Midnight Star Casino and Restaurant in Deadwood, South Dakota.

1992: Switch in Political Affiliation

Since 1992, Kevin Costner has financially supported a variety of Democratic politicians, including Al Gore and Tom Daschle.

1994: Divorce from Cindy Silva

In 1994, Kevin Costner and Cindy Silva divorced after 16 years of marriage, reportedly due to an affair. Cindy Silva received a settlement of US$80 million.

1994: Commission of Tatanka Bison Sculpture

In 1994, Kevin Costner commissioned Hill City artist Peggy Detmers to create a bronze sculpture depicting a buffalo jump, which would eventually become the centerpiece of his Tatanka: The Story of the Bison attraction.

1995: Contribution to Republican Phil Gramm

As late as 1995, Kevin Costner made contributions to Republican Phil Gramm, despite having switched his affiliation in the early 1990s.

1995: Purchase of Oil Separation Machine Company

In 1995, Kevin Costner acquired a company involved in developing oil separation machines based on a patent he bought from the US government.

1996: Relationship with Elle Macpherson

In 1996, Kevin Costner lived with supermodel Elle Macpherson.

June 6, 2004: Opening of Tatanka: The Story of the Bison

On June 6, 2004, Kevin Costner opened Tatanka: The Story of the Bison, an attraction near Deadwood, South Dakota, intended to educate visitors about America's westward expansion and the relationship between Plains Indians and bison.

July 2004: Termination of Midnight Star Managers

In July 2004, Kevin Costner terminated the employment of Francis and Carla Caneva, managers of his Midnight Star Casino and Restaurant.

September 25, 2004: Marriage to Christine Baumgartner

On September 25, 2004, Kevin Costner married Christine Baumgartner, a model and handbag designer, at his ranch in Aspen, Colorado.

February 25, 2007: Grand Marshal of NASCAR Auto Club 500

On February 25, 2007, Kevin Costner was named the ceremonial Grand Marshal of the NASCAR Cup Series' Auto Club 500 at the California Speedway.

October 2007: Worldwide Tour Begins for Kevin Costner & Modern West

In October 2007, Kevin Costner & Modern West, the country rock band founded by Costner, embarked on a worldwide tour, including performances in Istanbul and Rome.

2007: Birth of Son with Christine Baumgartner

In 2007, Kevin Costner and Christine Baumgartner had a son.

November 11, 2008: Release of Untold Truths Album

On November 11, 2008, Kevin Costner and Modern West released their country album, "Untold Truths", under Universal South Records. The album achieved No. 61 on the Billboard Top Country Albums and No. 35 on the Top Heatseekers chart.

2008: Campaigning for Barack Obama

In 2008, Kevin Costner campaigned for Barack Obama in Colorado, encouraging young voters to participate in the election.

2008: Production of NASCAR Documentary

In 2008, Kevin Costner worked with the NASCAR Media Group and CMT Films to produce the NASCAR documentary "The Ride of Their Lives", which he also narrated.

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2009: Birth of Second Son with Christine Baumgartner

In 2009, Kevin Costner and Christine Baumgartner had a second son.

2009: Spokesman for NASCAR Day

In 2009, Kevin Costner served as the spokesman for NASCAR Day, and he performed with his band at Charlotte Motor Speedway and judged the Victory Challenge.

February 2010: Release of Turn It On Album and European Tour

In February 2010, Kevin Costner and Modern West released their album, "Turn It On", in Europe and supported it with a European tour.

May 2010: BP Tests Costner's Oil Separation Machines

In late May 2010, following the Deepwater Horizon oil spill, BP began testing six oil separation machines from Ocean Therapy Solutions, a company in which Kevin Costner held an interest.

June 16, 2010: BP Leases Oil-Water Separation Devices

On June 16, 2010, BP entered into a lease agreement with Ocean Therapy Solutions for 32 of their oil-water separation devices.

2010: Birth of Daughter with Christine Baumgartner

In 2010, Kevin Costner and Christine Baumgartner had a daughter.

2011: Radio Spots for National World War I Museum

In the spring of 2011, Kevin Costner recorded two radio spots for the National World War I Museum in Kansas City, Missouri, which were aired on the Kansas City Royals Radio Network.

June 2012: Jury Rejects Securities Fraud Claims

In June 2012, a federal jury in Louisiana rejected claims of securities fraud and misrepresentation brought by Stephen Baldwin and Spyron Contoguris against Kevin Costner and others regarding Ocean Therapy Solutions.

July 2012: Performance at Telus World Skins Game

In July 2012, Kevin Costner and Modern West performed in Halifax, Nova Scotia, at the 20th annual Telus World Skins Game in support of the IWK Health Centre Foundation, donating a guitar autographed by Costner.

2012: Golden Globe Award for Hatfields & McCoys

In 2012, Kevin Costner received a Golden Globe Award for "Hatfields & McCoys".

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October 2014: Tribute to British Troops

In October 2014, Kevin Costner sent a tribute to British troops serving around the world, expressing gratitude for their service.

2015: Co-Author of The Explorer's Guild

In 2015, Kevin Costner co-authored "The Explorer's Guild: A Passage to Shambhala", a hybrid adventure novel and graphic novel.

2017: Closure of the Midnight Star Casino

In 2017, Kevin Costner closed the Midnight Star Casino and Restaurant in Deadwood, South Dakota.

December 22, 2019: Endorsement of Pete Buttigieg

On December 22, 2019, Kevin Costner endorsed Democratic presidential candidate Pete Buttigieg at a rally in Indianola, Iowa.

2020: Co-founding of HearHere Travel App

In 2020, Kevin Costner became a co-founder, investor, and podcast narrator for HearHere, a travel app that provides audio entertainment for road trips.

2020: Sale of the Midnight Star Casino

In 2020, Kevin Costner sold the Midnight Star Casino and Restaurant in Deadwood, South Dakota.

August 12, 2021: Appearance at MLB at Field of Dreams Game

On August 12, 2021, Kevin Costner led the New York Yankees and Chicago White Sox onto the field prior to the MLB at Field of Dreams game in Dyersville, Iowa, and delivered a speech.

August 2022: Production begins on Horizon: An American Saga

In August 2022, Kevin Costner began production on "Horizon: An American Saga", a Western epic planned as a series of four films. Costner is set to star in and direct the project, which was initially conceived as a television series.

November 2022: Filming Completion of Horizon: An American Saga - Part 1

In November 2022, production was completed on the first film of the "Horizon: An American Saga" series. The production took approximately 220 days.

2022: Endorsement of Liz Cheney

For the 2022 United States House of Representatives election in Wyoming, Kevin Costner endorsed Republican Liz Cheney for reelection.

May 2023: Production Underway for Next Horizon Films

By May 2023, Kevin Costner had production underway for the subsequent films in the "Horizon: An American Saga" series.

May 2023: Christine Baumgartner Files for Divorce

In May 2023, Christine Baumgartner filed for divorce from Kevin Costner.

2023: Golden Globe Award for Yellowstone

In 2023, Kevin Costner received a Golden Globe Award for "Yellowstone".

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February 20, 2024: Finalization of Divorce from Christine Baumgartner

On February 20, 2024, Kevin Costner and Christine Baumgartner finalized their divorce.

June 2024: Release of Horizon: An American Saga – Chapter 1

In June 2024, "Horizon: An American Saga – Chapter 1" was released. The film garnered mixed reviews and experienced a box office failure.

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August 16, 2024: Indefinite Delay of Horizon Chapter 2

Chapter 2 of the "Horizon: An American Saga" was set to be released on August 16, 2024, but was indefinitely delayed because of the poor box office returns of Chapter 1. Chapter 2 had received mixed reviews after its debut at the 81st Venice International Film Festival.