Kevin Costner
Kevin Costner achieved movie-star status in 1987, starring as incorruptible agent Eliot Ness in The Untouchables and as a Navy officer in the thriller No Way Out. His 1990 directorial debut Dances with Wolves won seven Oscars, including Best Picture and Best Director.
California Start
Born in Lynwood, California, he worked odd jobs and acted in small roles before his breakout. The Western Silverado in 1985 first drew attention.
Late-1980s Stardom
Two 1987 hits made him a star, and baseball films Bull Durham and Field of Dreams sealed his appeal. He became one of Hollywood's biggest leading men.
Director and Comeback
Dances with Wolves earned him Oscars for directing and producing in 1990. After 1990s ups and downs, Yellowstone made him a television star and he returned to directing with Horizon.
Career Timeline
- 1985Featured role in Western Silverado
- 1987Stardom via The Untouchables and No Way Out
- 1988Baseball hit Bull Durham
- 1989Field of Dreams cements A-list status
- 1990Directs and stars in Dances with Wolves
- 1991Plays Jim Garrison in Oliver Stone's JFK
- 1992Smash hit The Bodyguard with Whitney Houston
- 1995Costly epic Waterworld released
- 2018Stars in TV hit Yellowstone
- 2024Directs Western epic Horizon: An American Saga
Biggest Hits
- His directorial debut, Dances with Wolves, won seven Academy Awards including Best Picture and Best Director.
- Decades after his film heyday, he found new fame on television as rancher John Dutton in the hit series Yellowstone.
Portrait: Bill Ingalls (NASA) · Public domain · via Wikimedia Commons