Aside from being a successful actor, director and producer for decades, Kevin Costner has a long list of accomplishments and unique facts that not everybody knows. Costner was born on January 18, 1955, in Lynwood, California and grew up in Compton, California. His mother, Sharon Rae, was a welfare worker, and father, William Costner, was a ditch digger and an electrician. He is the youngest of 3 boys.
Here are some interesting facts about Costner that you might not have known:
1. He wasn’t always as tall as he is now.
When he graduated high school he he was only 5 feet 2 inches and he still thinks about it. Coster even talked about it in an interview with the Los Angeles Times.
“The fact that I was 5 foot 2 as a sophomore didn’t help. I’m 6 foot 1 now but still relate to those feelings. I didn’t date in high school and didn’t get my growth until college. I never got over being short.”
2. At age 18 he built his own canoe.
At 18, he built his own canoe and paddled his way down the rivers that Lewis & Clark followed to the Pacific.
3. He is an experienced horseback rider.
With so many western roles under his belt, this doesn’t come as a surprise. In fact, he does all his own horseback riding for films.
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4. He is a talented musician.
He is the lead singer of the Kevin Costner and Modern West band. This band went on a worldwide tour and had sold out shows in Istanbul and Rome in 2007. They’ve even had the opportunity to perform at the Grand Ole Opry.
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5. He cares about the environment.
Costner along with his brother Dan, founded the Costner Industries Nevada Corporation (CINC) in Carson City.They developed a centrifuge which separates water from oil to clean up the oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico back in 2010. Aside from his work on screen, Costner has been an outspoken advocate for the planet. He teamed up with former UCLA engineering professor Eric Hoek to filter water contaminated with oil and gas. He’s invested several million dollars in environmental efforts.
6. He used to work at Disneyland.
Before succeeding in the acting business, Kevin worked as a skipper on the ride, the Jungle Cruise, at Disneyland in Anaheim, California. In addition to this odd job, he also gave bus tours to homes of Hollywood stars before finally making his own way into the films.
7. He has a ranch in Aspen, Colorado.
Costner actually married his wife Christine on their 165-acre ranch in Aspen, Colorado and they spend much of their time there. The couple has three children together: Cayden, Hayes and Grace.
Costner is currently starring in Paramount’s hit TV drama, Yellowstone. With only one episode left of Season 3, filming of Season 4 is underway.
Watch the video below for a tour of Costner’s ranch.