Inside the breakdown of Kevin Costner's marriage to first wife Cindy Silva amid infidelity rumors
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA: Actor Kevin Costner did not expect Cindy Silva, his first wife, to pay him any attention. Fortunately, she was interested in him ever since they first met. However, years after their wedding, his reputation as a family man was in tatters and he was dubbed a "true rogue."
Costner is well known for his work on 'Hidden Figures,' 'Message in a Bottle,' and 'Dragonfly,' among other films. In the ongoing 'Yellowstone,' he portrays John Dutton, a multibillionaire ranch owner. The actor is a devoted husband to Christine Baumgartner when he is not captivating audiences on the big screen. After his previous wedding to Cindy, Costner is now married for the second time to Baumgartner.
READ MORE
Kevin Costner proves that love knows no bounds, embraces fatherhood with 7 children from 3 women
Who is Kevin Costner's wife? Christine Baumgartner and actor are like 'little kids together'
Inside Kevin and Cindy's marriage
The 'Field of Dreams' actor and Cindy met while both were students at California State University, Fullerton. She even performed as the princess at Disneyland during her summer breaks, per rumors that said she looked like Snow White. In 1989, Costner told People, "She was beautiful, she was sweet, she was smarter than me. She represented everything about women that I like."
In the sixteen years following their 1978 wedding, they had three children - Joe, 34; Annie, 38; and Lily, 36. Both Costner and Silva have claimed to have struggled hard to maintain their marriage; Silva, 66, even assisted her husband in the production of 'Dances With Wolves.' Silva was always excited about him from the moment they first met at a party at the Delta Chi fraternity house, despite the fact that he lacked confidence in himself, as per Country Living.
The pair was undeniably in love during their happy early days of marriage. Silva, a marketer for Delta Airlines, consistently encouraged her husband and never once questioned his ability to succeed as an actor. She was immensely proud of their union and didn't give any thought that they were having financial challenges.
For a while, everything was perfect, and Costner became a father while working to get his big break in Hollywood. They welcomed their first daughter, Annie, in 1984, and their second, Lily, in 1985. Costner was devoted to his kids and frequently declared that having children was an absolute necessity in his life. However, he was now getting bigger roles, and he would frequently spend months away from home.
Soon after they finished shooting the critically acclaimed film, particularly in 1990, as he was working on 'Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves', rumors of his infidelity began to surface. They made their divorce public in 1994, announcing that they had "amicably resolved all issues regarding our children and financial affairs and a full marital settlement has been reached." According to E! News, Costner paid a high price for the split because Silva reportedly received almost $80 million.
Alleged infidelity rumors and Costner's reputation
At first, Costner had a solid reputation and upheld the ideal of a family man. But after spending four months in England filming 'Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves,' the British tabloids started running unfavorable stories about him. Silva stayed at home with the children while Costner allegedly had a relationship with Sheri Stewart, a nightclub receptionist in London. But this was just one of many instances when he would be depicted as "a total hound," to use the words of one source, as per AmoMama.
Anyone who knew Costner would describe him as a "true rogue, who likes all women." Costner would impulsively approach any woman who caught his attention. In response, Costner said to People, "The package isn't important. I think maybe that comes across. I have a real appreciation for women." The 'Open Range' actor once said that the rumors of his extramarital affairs were untrue, but he also admitted that he worried about losing what he had, saying: "I worry about the effect of fame on my family and losing what I've got…."
Silva clung to the marriage as tenaciously as she could for an additional seven years. She persevered, according to acquaintances, despite the ambitious Costner's demanding work schedule, the alleged rumors of his womanizing, and the depressing failure of his most recent ventures.
In 1994, the couple announced their separation and said that their divorce proceedings had taken several months to complete. Silva and Costner released a statement in which they stated, "After 16 years together, we are ending our marriage. We have amicably resolved all issues regarding our children and financial affairs and a full marital settlement has been reached."
People who had been impressed by Costner's portrayal as a straight shooter, a regular guy who worked hard and tried to do the right thing by his family despite the temptations of superstardom, were shocked and saddened to learn of the split. He did give the racehorse he purchased in 1993 the name Proudtobetogether, after all.