The Shady Side Of Kevin Costner
With a successful career spanning several decades, Kevin Costner has undoubtedly earned the title of Hollywood legend. The veteran has proved himself a staple in the Western genre, with roles in films like "Dances With Wolves," "Wyatt's Earp" and "Open Range." Of his interest in Westerns, he told Yahoo, "My dad really loved John Wayne. And he said to me, 'You can do that.' And, of course, I can't be John Wayne. But I have personally taken an interest in the American Western."
In recent years, Costner found renewed success on Paramount's 2018 television show "Yellowstone," where he played the role of the lead character John Dutton, patriarch of the Dutton family. In no time, the neo-western show and Costner's character in particular became fan favorites. Despite falling in love with the script at first read, the show's unprecedented success still caught Costner by surprise. "I couldn't predict its popularity. But I am never surprised with what quality can turn into. Being popular and being really good doesn't have to be mutually exclusive. You can never guarantee kind of popular success, critical success," the veteran actor explained in a 2022 conversation with Deadline.
But while Costner has enjoyed a successful career over the years, the actor has also racked up a few controversial moments. From his failed marriages to alleged sexual harassment, here is the shady side of Kevin Costner.
Kevin Coster reportedly cheated on his first wife
In 1978, Kevin Costner married his first wife, Cindy Silva, whom he had met while studying at California State University. In the years following their wedding, Costner and Silva welcomed three kids, two daughters, Annie and Lily, and a son named Joe. The couple divorced in 1994. "After 16 years together, we are ending our marriage. We have amicably resolved all issues regarding our children and financial affairs, and a full marital settlement has been reached," the couple announced in a joint statement.
Though neither shared the reason for their split, speculation of infidelity and Costner's wandering eyes abound. At the time, rumors swirled that the actor had an affair with a woman named Michelle Amaral, whom he met on the Hawaiian set of his 1995 movie "Waterworld." Though Costner denied the alleged affair with Amaral, sources close to the actor insisted he had a history of cheating on Silva. "I don't know anyone who doesn't know about him [and other women]," an insider shared with People. In the end, Silva ended up walking away from the marriage with an $80 million settlement — making it one of the most expensive celebrity divorces to date.
Kevin Costner sexual harrassment case
In 2004, a masseuse working at the Old Course Hotel in the Scottish town of St. Andrews alleged that a popular actor had sexually harassed her. "It was disgusting," the accuser, whose name has remained undisclosed, said at the time (via Daily Mail). "And even though he was a Hollywood film star, I can't believe he thought he could get away with it. He abused me, and I considered that a criminal act." In a lawsuit against the hotel, the masseuse accused her employers of treating her differently after reporting the incident, eventually firing her shortly after. In retaliation, she filed a lawsuit against the hotel, accusing them of unlawful dismissal and sexual discrimination. At the time of the filing, however, an employment tribunal prevented the actor's name from being publicly shared.
However, in 2006, after the legal restriction was lifted, the accused's name was revealed to be Kevin Costner, who had been honeymooning at the hotel at the time of the alleged harassment. Costner allegedly forcefully grabbed the masseuse, dropped his towel, and exposed himself. The "Untouchables" star denied the allegations through a representative saying: "The referred to allegations were not true then and are not true now. Further, Mr. Costner was never part of any legal proceeding."
Kevin Costner's controversial political beliefs
Many Hollywood stars might prefer to avoid the political landscape, but not Kevin Costner. Over the years, the veteran actor has openly shared his political beliefs, holding back no words in voicing his support for certain candidates, regardless of how controversial or unpopular it is. Though he began as a Republican, Cotsner eventually crossed over to the Democratic side and has since lent his support to prominent political figures, including Barack Obama in 2008.
But while Costner has supported popular candidates in the past, the actor has also sometimes stirred up controversy with his choice of candidate. Ahead of the 2022 United States House of Representatives election, the "Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves" star endorsed Wyoming rep Liz Cheney of the Republican party. Expectedly, Costner's choice faced backlash from fans who criticized his support. "Kevin Costner is supporting Liz Cheney. He's a decent actor, but his opinions are crap," one user wrote on X, formerly Twitter. "I wish movie stars would keep their political opinions to themselves. I was a fan of Costner, now not so much," another user tweeted.
Despite the outrage, however, Costner remained unfazed, telling USA Today in an interview that he does not mind losing a few fans. "I didn't really care how the cookie crumbles, that people that liked me now don't like me. That's okay," he told the outlet.
Kevin Costner's Yellowstone saga
In February 2023, rumors of Costner's imminent exit from "Yellowstone" started swirling after Deadline reported the actor was feuding with Paramount and showrunner Taylor Sheridan over shooting schedules. Costner, who previously agreed to a 65-day schedule, allegedly requested to shoot for even fewer days, allowing him more time to work on his own Western epic movie series "Horizon: An American Saga." Costner's attitude towards shooting soon caused an even bigger issue with other "Yellowstone" cast members, hurting morale. However, the actor's attorney denied the rumors, describing the claims against Costner as "an absolute lie." Paramount also refuted rumors of Costner's exit, saying there were no talks of a departure. "Kevin Costner is a big part of Yellowstone, and we hope that's the case for a long time to come," the network shared in a statement.
Things soon took a different twist as it was later confirmed that Costner was indeed leaving the award-winning show. Speaking on his exit in September 2023, the "Bodyguard" actor admitted to trying to reach an agreement with the show executives, all to no avail. "I couldn't help them anymore. We tried to negotiate, they offered me less money than previous seasons, there were issues with the creative ... we came up with a number, and they ["Yellowstone"] walked away," he revealed during testimony as part of his divorce proceedings with Christine Baumgartner.
Kevin Costner's tumultous divorce from Christine Baumgartner
In September 2004, Kevin Costner married his second wife, fashion model Christine Baumgartner. Together, the couple welcomed three kids, but after 19 years of marriage, Baumgartner filed for divorce in May 2023, citing irreconcilable differences as the reason for their split. "It is with great sadness that circumstances beyond his control have transpired which have resulted in Mr. Costner having to participate in a dissolution of marriage action," a representative for the actor said in a statement to TMZ.
What seemed like an amicable split soon became contentious as the estranged couple battled out their divorce in court. In documents obtained by US Weekly, Costner accused Baumgartner of spending $95,000 of his money without his knowledge. The "Yellowstone" actor also requested to have Baumgartner forced out of their Santa Barbara home, as previously agreed in their prenup. Additionally, the estranged couple also disagreed over child support, with Costner accusing Baumgartner of inflating their children's living expenses and spending a chunk of the payment on personal expenses. "Christine allocates 60 percent of expenses such as private trainer, unallocated credit card expenses, and her plastic surgery to the minor children without any explanation or basis," the actor alleged.
Eventually, in September 2023, after months of back and forth, Costner and Baumgartner finalized their divorce.