Kevin Costner Net Worth

What Is Kevin Costner's Net Worth and Salary?

Kevin Costner is an American actor, producer, and director who has a net worth of $250 million. Kevin Costner first broke into Hollywood in the mid-1980s, gaining attention with supporting roles before his breakout performance in "The Untouchables" (1987), where he played Eliot Ness. That same year, he starred in "No Way Out," a political thriller that established him as a leading man. Costner followed this with a series of major hits, including the baseball classics "Bull Durham" (1988) and "Field of Dreams" (1989), both of which cemented his reputation as an all-American everyman with box office appeal.

In 1990, Costner starred in and directed "Dances with Wolves," a sweeping Western epic that became a critical and commercial triumph. The film won seven Academy Awards, including Best Picture and Best Director for Costner, elevating him into the top ranks of Hollywood filmmakers. Throughout the 1990s, he headlined some of the decade's most memorable films, including "Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves" (1991), "JFK" (1991), "The Bodyguard" (1992) opposite Whitney Houston, and "Wyatt Earp" (1994). Though big-budget projects like "Waterworld" (1995) and "The Postman" (1997) were less successful, they did little to diminish his cultural impact.

In the 2000s and 2010s, Costner transitioned into character roles and ensemble projects, earning praise for performances in "Thirteen Days" (2000), "Open Range" (2003), and "Hatfields & McCoys" (2012), the latter earning him an Emmy Award. He also appeared in films such as "Man of Steel" (2013) and "Hidden Figures" (2016).

In 2018, Costner took on the role of John Dutton in the hit television series "Yellowstone," a performance that introduced him to a new generation and revitalized his career. Costner has won two Academy Awards, three Golden Globe Awards, one Primetime Emmy Award, and two Screen Actors Guild Awards. In recent years, Kevin has earned critical and popular praise for his work on the television series "Yellowstone."

Salaries & Highest Paid Actor

At the peak of his career in the 1980s and 1990s, Kevin Costner was one of the highest-paid actors in the world thanks to roles in hit movies like "Dances with Wolves," which he directed and starred in, and "Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves."

In 1991 alone, Kevin earned $50 million thanks largely to his backend points on "Dances with Wolves." Earning $50 million in 1991 is the same as earning $110 million today. The film went on to win seven Academy Awards, including Best Picture. A year later, backend points brought his payday for "Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves" to $40 million.

Kevin also earned a hefty paycheck of $14 million for his role in the 1995 blockbuster "Waterworld."

Yellowstone Salary

Ahead of the filming of the fifth season of "Yellowstone," Kevin signed a new deal with Paramount that boosted his salary to $1.2 million per episode for what was planned as a 16-episode season split into two parts. The first part aired between November 2022 and January 2023, but behind the scenes, Costner became embroiled in a dispute with series creator Taylor Sheridan and Paramount over his filming schedule. In June 2024, Costner announced he would not return, and when the second half of season five premiered in November 2024, his character John Dutton was killed off without Costner appearing on screen. The final episodes marked the official conclusion of "Yellowstone," with no sixth season produced. Instead, the franchise has continued through spinoffs, while Costner shifted his focus to directing and starring in his multi-film Western project "Horizon: An American Saga."

Horizon Film Costs

Kevin Costner's decades-long dream project, "Horizon: An American Saga," has turned into one of the boldest financial gambles of his career. After spending years trying to secure a studio partner—with a Disney deal collapsing in 2003 over a $5 million budget dispute—Costner ultimately decided to finance the Western himself. He revealed in a 2024 interview with GQ that he had personally invested about $38 million, not the rumored $20 million, to get the first two chapters made. To raise the cash, he and his then-wife mortgaged their 10-acre oceanfront estate in Carpinteria, California, a property estimated to be worth up to $145 million. Much of Costner's $250 million net worth is tied up in non-liquid real estate, including a sprawling Aspen ranch once valued at $250 million, making a mortgage the only practical way to access that kind of capital. "Horizon: Chapter 1" premiered at the Cannes Film Festival in 2024 to a standing ovation before its June release, followed by Chapter 2 in August. While the project remains a financial risk, Costner has cited Mel Gibson's windfall from self-financing "The Passion of the Christ" as inspiration. If successful, "Horizon" could reward him with a massive payday—or, at minimum, prevent the gamble from costing him one of his prized properties.

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Early Life and Career Beginnings

Kevin Michael Costner was born on January 18, 1955, in Lynwood, California. His mother, Sharon Rae (née Tedrick), worked as a welfare worker, while his father, William Costner, was first an electrician and later an executive with Southern California Edison. Kevin was the youngest of three boys, though his middle brother died at birth. He spent much of his early childhood in Compton, California, and was raised in a Baptist household.

Because of his father's career, the family relocated frequently around the state of California, which often left Kevin as the "new kid" in school. He attended Mt. Whitney High School in Visalia before the family moved to Orange County, where he graduated from Villa Park High School in 1973. Costner then enrolled at California State University, Fullerton, where he studied business and earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in marketing and finance in 1978.

Although he had long harbored a private dream of performing, Costner didn't initially see acting as a practical career path. That changed after a chance meeting with actor Richard Burton on a plane, during which Burton encouraged him to pursue his passion. Motivated by that encounter, Costner began taking acting classes, working odd jobs—including as a truck driver, fisherman, and even a Disneyland tour guide—and attending auditions. Money was scarce in these early years, but he remained determined. After a small role in a student film in the late 1970s, he began building a foothold in Hollywood.

Film Career

Costner technically made his feature debut in the low-budget independent film "Sizzle Beach, U.S.A.," shot in 1978 but not released until 1981 (and re-released in 1986). This caused some confusion, as many believed his first film to be 1983's "The Touch." During the early 1980s, Costner appeared in small roles in films like "Table for Five" and "Testament" (both 1983), while also picking up commercial work, including a spot for Apple's Lisa computer.

His first real breakthrough came when director Lawrence Kasdan cast him in "Silverado" (1985), a Western ensemble that showcased Costner's charisma. That same year, he also starred in "Fandango" and appeared in "American Flyers," building a reputation as a versatile and appealing young actor.

In 1987, Costner had his breakout year with two major successes. He starred as Eliot Ness opposite Sean Connery and Robert De Niro in "The Untouchables," a stylish crime drama that firmly established him as a leading man. That same year, he headlined the political thriller "No Way Out," which became a box office hit. Costner followed these with the baseball classics "Bull Durham" (1988) and "Field of Dreams" (1989), films that tapped into his all-American image and made him one of Hollywood's most bankable stars.

He continued his streak with a series of high-profile films: "Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves" (1991), Oliver Stone's "JFK" (1991), "The Bodyguard" (1992) opposite Whitney Houston, and Clint Eastwood's "A Perfect World" (1993). At his peak, Costner was one of the biggest stars in the world.

The mid-1990s brought setbacks, however. Films like "The War" (1994), the costly "Waterworld" (1995), and "The Postman" (1997)—which he also directed—were widely panned, with "The Postman" sweeping the Golden Raspberry Awards. Yet even during this period, he found success with lighter fare like the romantic comedy "Tin Cup" (1996).

Costner rebounded in the late 1990s and 2000s with projects such as "Message in a Bottle" (1999), the Cuban Missile Crisis drama "Thirteen Days" (2000), and later roles in "The Guardian" (2006), "Mr. Brooks" (2007), and "Swing Vote" (2008). In 2012, he starred in the History Channel miniseries "Hatfields & McCoys," which became a ratings phenomenon and earned him an Emmy Award.

In 2013, he appeared as Jonathan Kent in Zack Snyder's "Man of Steel," and later played supporting roles in acclaimed films like "Hidden Figures" (2016). In 2018, Costner returned to prominence on television when he took on the role of John Dutton in the Paramount Network series "Yellowstone." The role introduced him to a new generation of fans, revitalized his career, and became his first regular TV role. His portrayal of the stoic Montana ranch patriarch carried the show to massive popularity, making it the most-watched cable drama in the United States during its run.

Directing and Producing

Beyond acting, Kevin Costner has made his mark as a filmmaker and producer. In 1990, he partnered with producer Jim Wilson to form Tig Productions, and their first project was "Dances with Wolves." Costner not only starred in the three-hour epic but also directed it, taking on the enormous challenge of filming on location with elaborate battle scenes, hundreds of extras, and extended sequences in the Lakota Sioux language. The film became a global hit and earned seven Academy Awards, including Best Picture and Best Director, making Costner one of the few actors in history to win the directing Oscar on his first feature.

While his later directorial efforts were less celebrated, they underscored his ambition. "The Postman" (1997), a dystopian drama that he both directed and headlined, was a critical and commercial disappointment, often cited as one of the decade's most notorious box office flops. He later returned to the Western genre with "Open Range" (2003), a modestly budgeted film he directed and starred in alongside Robert Duvall. Unlike "The Postman," "Open Range" was well-received, praised for its gritty authenticity and one of the most memorable shootouts in modern Western cinema.

In the 2020s, Costner returned to directing with his passion project "Horizon: An American Saga," a sweeping multi-part Western epic that he spent years developing. The first installment premiered in 2024, with additional chapters scheduled for release. Costner invested heavily in the films, both financially and creatively, staking his reputation on a return to the genre that had defined some of his greatest successes.

As a producer, Costner has remained involved in shaping many of his own projects, ensuring creative control and pursuing stories that align with his vision of American history, family, and resilience. Though not every gamble has paid off, his work behind the camera has been central to his legacy as more than just a leading man—he is also a filmmaker unafraid to take risks on ambitious projects.

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Business Interests

Outside of film and television, Kevin Costner has pursued a number of business ventures, often reflecting his interest in history and the American West. In June 2004, he opened Tatanka: The Story of the Bison, an attraction located just outside Deadwood, South Dakota. The site was designed as an educational center to highlight the cultural and historical importance of the bison, as well as the impact of westward expansion on Native American communities. The project reflected Costner's ongoing fascination with frontier history, a theme that has shaped many of his creative works. Costner also invested in the Midnight Star Casino in Deadwood, which he operated for several years.

Personal Life

Costner married Cindy Silva, his college sweetheart, after they graduated in 1978. They share three children. After 16 years of marriage, Costner and Silva divorced in 1994. Kevin reportedly paid Cindy Silva an $80 million divorce settlement. It was one of the most expensive divorces in Hollywood history up to that point.

After his marriage ended, Kevin then dated and had a son with Bridget Rooney. Bridget is an heiress to the Pittsburgh Steelers. Her nieces are actresses Kate Mara and Rooney Mara.

Kevin has also dated activist Birgit Cunningham and model/actress Elle Macpherson.

In 2004, Costner married model and handbag designer Christine Baumgartner. They have three children together.

Kevin & Christine (Jeff Kravitz/FilmMagic/Getty Images)

Divorce Settlements

Kevin paid his first wife, Cindy Silva, an $80 million divorce settlement in the mid-1990s. After adjusting for inflation, that's the same as paying a $160 million settlement in today's dollars.

On May 2, 2023, Christine Baumgartner filed for divorce from Kevin after 18 years of marriage, citing irreconcilable differences. Christine did not initially request spousal support in her filing because they have a prenup agreement in place. Per a filing from Kevin's lawyer:

"Spousal support to be payable to petitioner pursuant to the terms of the parties' Premarital Agreement."

However, in mid-June 2023, Christine filed a request for monthly support totaling $250,000. As if that number wasn't stunning enough, $250,000 did NOT include all expenses related to their children, which he is already paying. In her filing, Christine claimed Kevin made $19.5 million in 2023 and that the family's total expenses came to $6.6 million. Among those expenses are regular trips to vacation spots like Aspen, Hawaii, and the Caribbean, where the family would often hire a team of chefs and caterers for their needs. Also, they spend around $2 million per year maintaining their various properties.

In a follow-up filing, Christine listed a multitude of details regarding the family's 2022 income and expenses. Her legal filing said his total income in 2022 came to $19.5 million. Specifically $19,517,064. Kevin earns $1.2 million per episode of "Yellowstone." It's believed that he filmed eight episodes in 2022. That works out to a bit under $10 million of that $19.5 million. As for his other income, Kevin earned $2.3 million in rent from his Aspen ranch and $503,000 renting a beachfront property in Carpinteria, California.

The filing estimated total "family expenses" at $6.5 million. Specifically, $6,645,285.

Here's a breakdown of how the Costner family spent $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 the filing, Christine also claimed that Kevin told her he was once offered $250 million for his Aspen property. This is in addition to their other real estate properties, which we detail in the next section. A judge ultimately ordered Kevin to temporarily pay Christine at least $130,000 per month in support, and finally, he was ultimately ordered to pay $63,209 per month in child support.

Jason Kempin/Getty Images

Real Estate

Costner owns an extremely impressive real estate portfolio featuring gorgeous properties around the country. Here are some notable examples:

Aspen, Colorado:

Kevin owns a 160-acre property in Aspen that features three lakefront homes that can comfortably sleep 30 people. He acquired the property in three transactions. The first two transactions, one in the late 1980s and another in the early 1990s, were for undisclosed amounts. In 2017, he paid $7.3 million for the third parcel to complete the 160-acre property. He rents this property out for the low-low price of $30,000 per NIGHT.

Carpinteria, California:

Nestled between Malibu and Santa Barbara is a quaint beachfront town called Carpinteria. Over the decades, the Costners have pieced together an absolutely incredible estate made up of three side-by-side properties. He bought the first of the three properties in the 1980s. They added the second a decade later and then waited all the way until 2017 to buy the third property for $7.3 million.

They previously owned a 7-acre property in the same area, which they sold in 2009 for $25 million.

This is not the Costners' only Carpinteria property.

In 2006, they paid $28.5 million for a 17-acre undeveloped plot of land overlooking the ocean.

They own an additional 10-acre property in Carpinteria, which they tried to sell in 2017 for $60 million. They reduced the price to $49 million a year later but ultimately took the property off the market. Here is a video tour of this incredible property:

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