Kevin Costner Net Worth (Money & Salary)

What Is Kevin Costner’s Net Worth and Salary?

With a net worth of $250 million, Kevin Costner stands out as an American actor, producer, and director. He reached the height of his career during the 1980s and 1990s, becoming one of the highest-paid actors globally, primarily due to his performances in blockbuster films such as “Dances with Wolves,” which he both directed and starred in, and “Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves.”

In 1991, Kevin’s earnings peaked at $50 million, largely attributed to his backend points from “Dances with Wolves.” When adjusted for inflation, earning $50 million in 1991 equates to roughly $110 million today. This film ultimately secured seven Academy Awards, including the prestigious Best Picture. The following year, backend points augmented his earnings from “Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves” to $40 million.

Additionally, Kevin received an impressive $14 million for his role in the 1995 hit, “Waterworld.” As of now, he has won two Academy Awards, three Golden Globe Awards, one Primetime Emmy Award, and two Screen Actors Guild Awards. Lately, Kevin has gained both critical acclaim and popularity for his performance in the television series “Yellowstone.”

“Yellowstone” Salary

Before filming the fifth season of “Yellowstone,” Kevin secured a new contract with Paramount, raising his salary to $1.2 million per episode for what was intended to be a 16-episode season divided into two parts. The initial part aired from November 2022 to January 2023. By February 2023, it became public knowledge that Costner was in conflict with the show’s creator/producer, Taylor Sheridan, and Paramount regarding the filming schedule for the second part. Should the second part proceed as planned, he stands to earn $19.2 million for the entire fifth season. If a sixth season materializes, his episode salary will increase to $1.5 million, totaling $24 million for that season.

Early Life and Career Beginnings

Kevin Michael Costner was born on January 18, 1955, in Lynwood, California. His mother, Sharon Rae (née Tedrick), was employed as a welfare worker, while his father, William Costner, was an electrician, later becoming a utility executive at Southern California Edison. As the youngest of three boys—his middle brother tragically passed away at birth—Costner grew up in Compton, California, where he was raised in a Baptist household.

Due to the nature of his father’s job, the family frequently relocated throughout California, especially during Kevin’s teenage years. He initially attended Mt. Whitney High School before moving to Orange County, California, where he graduated from Villa Park High School in 1973. Continuing his education, he attended California State University, Fullerton, obtaining a Bachelor of Arts degree in marketing and finance in 1978.

Inspired to pursue acting after an inspiring encounter with Richard Burton, Kevin began to chase his long-held dream post-college. He navigated his way into Hollywood through acting classes, various odd jobs, auditions, and very limited finances. His dedicated efforts eventually paid off, leading him to transition into full-time acting in the 1980s after a brief appearance in a film in 1974.

Film Career

Costner’s performance in the 1987 film, “The Untouchables,” is widely regarded as a pivotal moment…

Dubbed his “big break,” Kevin followed it up with the 1990 classic “Dances with Wolves,” where he both directed and starred. This film was pivotal, earning him two Academy Awards for Best Director and Best Picture. Despite this acclaim, Costner’s career includes a vast array of projects and films.

Costner’s journey into feature films began with “Sizzle Beach, U.S.A.,” shot during the winter of 1978 to 1979 but not released until 1981, and re-released in 1986. This led many to mistakenly believe that his first feature was “The Touch” from 1983. That same year, he also appeared in “Table for Five” and “Testament,” and featured in an Apple commercial for the Lisa desktop model. 1985 saw him involved in numerous projects, including a leading role in Lawrence Kasdan’s “Silverado” alongside other films like “Fandango” and “American Flyers.”

In 1987, Costner not only starred in “The Untouchables” but also in the thriller “No Way Out.” His performances in “Bull Durham” (1988) and “Field of Dreams” (1989) further established him as an A-list actor. In 1990, he teamed up with producer Jim Wilson to establish Tig Productions, their first project being the monumental “Dances with Wolves,” in which Kevin played a dual role as director and star. That same year, he also starred in “Revenge.”

After “Dances with Wolves,” Costner starred in a succession of films that received either critical acclaim or commercial success, including “Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves” (1991), “JFK” (1991), “The Bodyguard” (1992), and Clint Eastwood’s “A Perfect World” (1993). However, this series of successes was followed by a few films that did not perform well with critics or audiences, such as “The War” (1994), “Waterworld” (1995), and “The Postman” (1997). Among these, “The Postman,” which Costner directed and starred in, fared the worst, receiving five Golden Raspberry Awards, including Worst Picture, Worst Actor, and Worst Director.

Continuing his acting career, Kevin starred in “Tin Cup” (1996), “Message in a Bottle” (1999), “Thirteen Days” (2000), “Rumor Has It” (2005), “The Guardian” (2006), “Mr. Brooks” (2007), “Swing Vote” (2008), and “The Company Men” (2010). In 2012, he made his mark on television with the History Channel miniseries “Hatfields & McCoys,” which attracted a staggering 13.9 million viewers. Since then, he has taken part in various films and secured his first regular television role in 2018 with the series “Yellowstone.”

Business Interests

In June 2004, Costner inaugurated an attraction titled Tatanka: The Story of the Bison, located on U.S. Route 85, just south of Deadwood, South Dakota. His aim was for it to become an educational site for visitors to understand America’s history of westward expansion.

to his investments in other ventures, including the Midnight Star Casino in Deadwood. In July 2004, after terminating the employment of the casino’s managers, Francis and Carla Caneva, a judge mandated that he pay them a portion of $6.1 million to exit the partnership. Subsequently, in 2006, he appealed to the South Dakota Supreme Court to reconsider the judgment, following an accountant’s assessment that valued the casino at $3.1 million.

Personal Life

After graduating in 1978, Costner wed his college sweetheart, Cindy Silva. Together, they welcomed three children. However, their marriage concluded with a divorce in 1994, after 16 years. Ultimately, Kevin consented to an $80 million settlement, marking it as one of Hollywood’s priciest divorces up to that time.

Post-divorce, Kevin entered into a relationship with Bridget Rooney, with whom he fathered a son. Bridget happens to be an heiress linked to the Pittsburgh Steelers and is related to actresses Kate Mara and Rooney Mara.

Kevin’s dating history also includes activist Birgit Cunningham and model/actress Elle Macpherson.

In 2004, he tied the knot with Christine Baumgartner, a model and handbag designer, and they share three children.

Divorce Settlements

In the mid-1990s, Kevin settled with his first wife, Cindy Silva, for $80 million. Adjusted for inflation, that sum translates to the equivalent of $160 million today.

On May 2, 2023, Christine Baumgartner initiated divorce proceedings after 18 years of marriage, citing irreconcilable differences. Initially, she did not seek spousal support as per their prenuptial agreement. A statement from Kevin’s attorney noted:

“Spousal support to be payable to petitioner pursuant to the terms of the parties’ Premarital Agreement.“

However, by mid-June 2023, Christine sought monthly support amounting to $250,000, which didn’t encompass all child-related expenses he was already covering. In her filing, Christine asserted that Kevin’s income for 2023 was $19.5 million, with the family’s overall expenses totaling $6.6 million. These expenses included regular vacations to hotspots like Aspen, Hawaii, and the Caribbean, where they often employed teams of chefs and caterers. Additionally, maintaining their various properties cost around $2 million annually.

In a subsequent document, Christine detailed the family’s income and spending for 2022, reporting Kevin’s total income at $19.5 million, specifically $19,517,064. He earned $1.2 million per episode of “Yellowstone,” with reports indicating he filmed eight episodes in 2022, contributing nearly $10 million to that total. Moreover, Kevin received $2.3 million from renting his Aspen ranch and $503,000 from a beachfront property in Carpinteria, California.

The estimated overall “family expenses” reached $6.5 million, specifically $6,645,285.

Below is an itemized account of the Costner family’s expenditures totaling $6 million in 2022:

• Aspen House Costs: $1,964,294.95
• Beach House Costs: $1,178,147.16
• Gifts: $830,504.51
• Gardener: $542,303.47
• Beach Club Costs: $288,381.24
• Household Help: $84,040.78
• Golf & Club Dues: $34,434.90
• Boat Expenses: $25,806.45
• Spa Service: $21,807.67
• Personal Trainer: $12,851.58

Total Expenses: $5,982,772.71

In her filing, Christine also claimed that Kevin had mentioned being offered $250 million for his property in Aspen. This is in addition

In the following section, we elaborate on their various real estate investments.

Real Estate

Costner possesses an exceptionally impressive real estate collection that includes stunning properties throughout the nation. Below are some key highlights:

Aspen, Colorado:

Within Aspen, the Costners own a 160-acre estate featuring three lakefront homes capable of accommodating 30 guests comfortably. This property was obtained in three separate purchases. The initial two acquisitions occurred in the late 1980s and early 1990s at undisclosed prices. In 2017, he finalized the purchase of the third parcel for $7.3 million, thus completing the 160-acre estate. He lists this property for rental at the staggering rate of $30,000 per NIGHT.

Carpinteria, California:

Located between Malibu and Santa Barbara is the charming beachfront town of Carpinteria. Over the years, the Costners have assembled an extraordinary estate consisting of three contiguous properties, starting with the first acquisition in the 1980s. They added the second in the following decade and made the third acquisition in 2017 for $7.3 million.

Previously, they owned a 7-acre property in the vicinity, which was sold in 2009 for $25 million.

This isn’t the only property the Costners hold in Carpinteria.

In 2006, they spent $28.5 million on a 17-acre undeveloped parcel with ocean views.

Furthermore, they own an additional 10-acre property in Carpinteria, which they attempted to sell for $60 million in 2017. A year later, they lowered the asking price to $49 million but eventually withdrew it from the market. Here’s a video tour of this remarkable property: