Kevin Costner Reveals How He Raises 7 Unique Kids in the Hollywood Spotlight
Kevin Costner, 70, Reflects on Fatherhood and Raising Seven Unique Children in the Hollywood Spotlight
Kevin Costner is opening up about what he considers the most meaningful role of his life: being a father.
The Yellowstone star, now 70, is the proud dad of seven children, whose ages range from teenagers to adults. In a recent interview, Costner shared insights from his decades-long journey as a parent, explaining that one of the most important lessons he’s learned is how to love and support each child as an individual.
“You love them all the same, but they are all different, so you find ways to do that without treating them all the same,” Costner said. “You’ve got to take into consideration their differences. If you just keep coming at them in a certain way, and you’re not getting through, it’s up to you to change a little bit — maybe your messaging, maybe how you do it. You have to adjust to their individuality.”
Costner shares his three oldest children — Annie, 41, Lily, 38, and Joe, 37 — with ex-wife Cindy Silva. He also has a son, Liam, 28, with former girlfriend Bridget Rooney. His youngest children — Cayden, 18, Hayes, 16, and Grace, 14 — are from his marriage to ex-wife Christine Baumgartner.
Despite his busy acting and directing career, Costner emphasized that his children also lead active lives, making family gatherings harder to coordinate as they grow older.
“It’s here and there now,” he said. “Trying to gather them all together at the same time is very difficult as they all move through the directions of their life.”
Still, creating a sense of “home” remains a priority for Costner. He explained that his houses are always designed with family in mind.
“You try to provide a place that they’ll want to return to,” he said. “I always design my homes for me and mine — for my children and their children — so that they enjoy coming back.”
Recently, the Costner family came together to celebrate a special milestone — the high school graduation of his son Cayden. All of Costner’s children reunited for the event.
“It’ll be a four or five-day event, hanging out for as long as we can,” he shared. “We’re all really proud of him. This is one of those moments that marks his life, and he’s done it beautifully.”
When asked about offering advice to his kids, Costner said he prefers to lead by example.
“I don’t know about the advice thing — I’d like them to see how I do my work. I take it seriously,” he said. “I was a public school kid, and I was often at the wrong end of the bell curve. There was too much math and not enough history, and I was made to feel like a dumbbell.”
He added, “I always thought I was a daydreamer. I don’t know what advice I give them, other than I hope they find that yellow brick road, have the courage to go forward, and don’t let economics drive their life decisions. Find what they love.”
