Kevin Costner Became A Father Again In His 50s & Declares Life With 7 Kids Gets ‘Better And Better With Time’

Jan 26, 2023 by apost team

Kevin Costner has managed to capture our hearts through his actions and emotions on the big screen. The protagonist of many great love stories, some might even consider Costner to be the "king" of Hollywood romance.

Despite frequently playing the object of many an A-list actress’s affection on the big screen, Costner did not have that much luck when it came to finding love in real life. After many years of trying again and again in failed relationships, the actor finally found love at 49 years old and hasn’t looked back since.

Costner has been a major Hollywood star for over three decades and is a man of many talents with striking charm and likability. This comes across in his most memorable roles in films like "Field of Dreams," "Bull Durham," and "Dances With Wolves."

While he is the true definition of a successful actor, the 68-year-old is also a family man in real life, with seven beautiful children. The California-born actor is a dad to four sons – Joe, Liam, Cayden and Hayes – and three daughters – Annie, Lily, and Grace. While that might sound like a handful, Costner appears to have settled into life with a large brood. 

However, that’s not to say it’s always been smooth sailing. In past interviews, the "Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves" star revealed he faced a few difficulties handling two sets of children at once.

Why two sets of kids? Well, Costner's children come as a bunch on a whole new level. The seven children have a 26-year age gap, with the older set coming from previous relationships and the younger set with his current wife, Christine Baumgartner, whom he married in 2004.

Born on Jan. 18, 1955, in Lynwood, California, Costner was the youngest of three sons. Sadly, however, his middle brother did not survive long and passed away during childbirth. Growing up in Compton, California, Costner's teenage years would include frequent moves due to his father's job as an electrician. On top of Lynwood and Compton, the Costner family also lived in Ventura, Visalia and Orange County.

In a New York Times interview from 1989, Costner described this early period of his life as very stressful, saying:

''I supplanted my own personality just to get along. I was thrown into so many situations that I quit trying. I couldn't come on too strong, I didn't want to be too funny, I didn't want to be too good. And I certainly didn't want the head guy's girl to like me. I think I lost a lot of confidence in who I was.''

He went on to find immense fame in the 1980s and 1990s, with hits that ranged from cute rom-coms to blockbusters. His ventures into the world of producing and directing films also saw success, and the “JFK” star is the proud owner of two Oscar statuettes. However, he said while the rest of the world might now perceive him to be a high-flying superstar, this was far from the case.

"I work as a provider. I'm a father and I'm a husband, but the world doesn't revolve around me," he said, adding:

"When I'm not making a movie, I'm living and on the freeway with my wife, getting the kids to their stuff or I'm waiting for them to come out of a party. I'm just twiddling my thumbs. People have a wrong idea about how my life works."

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As the years went by, Costner’s romances have seen him become the father of seven children. His first four kids were born in the 1980s and 1990s, while his last three children were all born after 2007.

Costner takes pains to ensure his children all feel equally loved, despite their age differences.

"As these children interact together, there's always this little bit of 'Do you care for us now as much as you do them?' — that's just a natural thing that happens, and you have to talk about how big love is. The ability to be able to love somebody else doesn't mean there's less love for you. Love seems to be always able to hang on to as many people as needs to be in that circle," he said in 2015. 

He added assimilating his older and younger sets of kids was no mean feat. "There's so much room (for love). And that's the way it is with children, and if there was any, perhaps jealousy that existed, I basically reminded (my older kids) that they were going to have twice as long with me on this planet. I said, 'Look, they're not going to have what you had,' and at that point, they all just embraced each other."

As you may already know, Costner has found and lost love, which is typical of most Hollywood A-listers. Despite the trials and tribulations of the different marriages and relationships the actor has gone through, in the end, it has blessed him with seven wonderful children over two decades.

In 1975, the actor-to-be Costner had his first love charm with a fellow student, Cindy Silva. Both fell in love, with the couple formalizing their vows three years later. From this marriage, Costner would have three beautiful kids – two daughters and a son.

Kevin and Cindy welcomed Annie as the firstborn child in April 1984, in Los Angeles County, California. The 38-year-old now takes after her father's work with a career in Hollywood. Annie is known for producing, directing, and acting. Early in her career, she starred in a couple of cameos, with "Dances With Wolves" and "Waterworld" being some of her best acting stints in Hollywood.

Per IMDb, the eldest Costner has also produced films and shows such as "El Cartel Cubano," "ESPN 30 for 30: Bump Spike" and "The Discarded: A Tale of Two Rios." She also made strides as a director with her own boutique production house, focusing on specific documentary genres and features. Her personal life remains her best-kept secret, although, she has been married to Danny Cox since 2016.

As the second-born to Kevin and Cindy, Lily Costner came into the world in August 1986 in Los Angeles County. She is also an actress, having made appearances in movies such as "The Postman," "The Baby-Sitters Club," and "Black or White." Her acting start was the most impressive as she made her onscreen debut at the tender age of just 9 in "The Baby-Sitters Club." 

Her impressive personality also garnered her the title of Miss Golden Globe a decade later, at 18 years old. The pageant allows celebrity kids a shot at stardom, with young winners holding presentations and handing out trophies during the Golden Globe Awards.

After his divorce in 1994, Costner made his relationship with his girlfriend, actress Bridget Rooney, public in 1996. The pair would expand Costner’s family that same year by welcoming a son. However, Costner’s luck would fail again and the pair split amicably after about a year together.

Costner and Rooney had their first and only child, Liam, in November 1996. Sadly, his parents' love life was short-lived. Unlike the older Costners, he has shied from the media and does not have a showbiz career.

The third time was the charm for Costner, as he would welcome more children with model and fashion designer Christine Baumgartner. The love story had begun a decade earlier, but the pair had not given the romance a real go at first. The couple would reconnect in 1998 before making the relationship official in 2004 after dating for four years.

“She said, ‘I’m going to wait for you, but not long. When you come to your senses, come back to me.’ “And I did,” the actor told Parade in 2012.

It has been almost 20 years since, and the couple is still happily married with three children of their own. It took Costner years to find his true love, and now that he has, he is sure to never let her go. His secret to a successful marriage? “Maybe it’s the ability to say you’re sorry,” Costner told Parade, adding further, “I know that sounds so simple.” However, as many relationship guides and couples around the world know: often, saying sorry is the hardest thing.

Costner and the love of his life spend much of their time at a sprawling Colorado ranch, as Variety reported. Costner and Baumgartner designed the Aspen Colorado residence as a posh Rocky Mountain getaway, which includes three luxury lodges, a few fish-stocked ponds, a hill for sledding and a baseball field — all on the 160-acre property.

If you and your special someone want to live out the Costner-Baumgartner romance, it would cost you a pretty penny. Variety reported that one night at the resort — which can comfortably accommodate up to 27 people — costs $30,000. So, even if you get a big group of friends, you’re looking at a hefty $1,111 per night.

The couple also owns a few romantic properties near Montecito, California.

“In 2006, Costner and Baumgartner substantially expanded their Carpinteria holdings with the $28.5 million purchase of an under-developed 17.25-acre bluff-top property overlooking the Pacific only about half of a mile down the beach from their oceanfront compound,” Variety reported in 2019.

Wherever the couple is – whether they’re vacationing in Colorado or hanging out in California – Costner appears settled in the belief that he and his wife have finally figured out how to live together. 

"Our partnership has really come into focus about what we do for each other and how we deal with our family," Costner told People in 2020.

“Our house is like a river: You’ve just got to get into the flow of it,” Costner added. “And whatever you thought it was going to be, maybe it still can, but it’s going to have to work with what the day brings.”

The homebody has also become the go-to parent for the kids' breakfast. "That's the one meal I can handle," Costner told People.

Costner and Baumgartner welcomed their first child together, Cayden Wyatt, in May 2007 at a Los Angeles hospital. The parents had only exchanged vows a few years earlier, in 2004, after being in an on-and-off relationship for over a decade. The 15-year-old is yet to make any strides in Hollywood and keeps a low-profile social presence, but time will tell if Cayden will follow in his famous father’s footsteps.

Hayes Costner comes second from his dad's marriage with Baumgartner. The lovebirds welcomed their son back in February 2009 to the star-studded life. 

Kevin Costner went on to welcome his seventh and youngest child, Grace Costner, in June 2010. The young Costner is also a frequent sight by her dad's side at red-carpet events alongside her older brothers.

As we get older, we become more and more aware of the fact we have a limited time to share with our loved ones, something Costner takes to heart. For this reason, the "Yellowstone" star said he makes every effort to spend as much time as possible with his younger children, sons Cayden and Hayes and daughter Grace.

Despite having seven kids, the star admitted he still has a lot to learn.

"You've got to get down on the ground and play with them. And you teach them to be independent — and the sad part about that is they become that. I'm like any other parent: I'm trying to figure it out," he said.

And as he rang in his 68th birthday on Jan. 18, 2023, Costner tweeted some words of wisdom: “Don’t believe what they say about getting older. Each passing year is a gift, and it gets better and better with time.”

What do you think of Kevin Costner’s large, blended family? Do you come from one yourself? Let us know, and don’t forget to pass this on to them as well as friends who might find this super interesting.