Kevin Costner was born on January 18, 1955, in Lynwood, California. He grew up in Compton, California. His parents are William and Sharon Costner. He is the youngest of three boys; the second boy died at birth. His mother was a welfare worker, and his father was an electrician and utilities executive. Costner’s family came from Germany in the 1700s. Additionally, Costner has English, Irish, Scottish, and Welsh roots. He was raised Baptist. In school he wasn’t very academic. However, he played sports, took piano lessons, wrote poetry, and sang in the choir. The 1962 film How the West Was Won sparked his love for Westerns.
Costner spent his teenage years moving around California due to his father’s job. He felt this made him lose confidence. He often had to make new friends. He lived in Ventura and then Visalia. At Mt. Whitney High School, he joined the marching band. He graduated from Villa Park High School in 1973, where he played baseball with Dennis Burtt. Costner earned a BA from California State University, Fullerton, in 1978. There, he joined the Delta Chi fraternity. In his final college year, Costner became interested in acting and dancing. A key moment came in 1978. While returning from his honeymoon in Puerto Vallarta, he met actor Richard Burton on a plane. Uncertain about acting, Costner sought Burton’s advice. Burton encouraged him. Costner asked if one could act without personal turmoil. Burton said it was possible. Costner credits Burton for his decision to act. Initially, Costner took a marketing job but started acting lessons every night, thanks to his wife’s support. He quit after 30 days. To support his acting dreams, he worked on fishing boats, drove trucks, and gave tours of Hollywood homes. This work helped him pay for lessons and auditions.