Daniel Craig Costner: Kevin Costner’s Older Brother and the Costner Family

Daniel Craig Costner doesn’t share the Hollywood spotlight with his famous younger brother, but he’s been part of Kevin Costner’s story from the very beginning. Born in November 1950 in Lynwood, California, Dan is the eldest of three Costner brothers who grew up in a modest Southern California household. While Kevin went on to become one of the biggest movie stars of his generation, Dan chose a quieter path far removed from red carpets and film sets. He’s spent decades living a private life, content to stay out of the public eye even as the Costner name became synonymous with blockbuster entertainment. Still, family ties run deep, and the bond between the Costner brothers has remained a quiet constant through all the fame, fortune, and tabloid drama that followed Kevin’s career. Here’s what we know about the eldest Costner brother.

Early Life in Southern California

Daniel Craig Costner was born in November 1950 in Lynwood, a small city in Los Angeles County, California. His parents, William Costner and Sharon Costner, were working-class Californians trying to build a stable life for their growing family. William worked as an executive for a utility company, a job that required the family to relocate several times across Southern California during Dan’s childhood.

Those frequent moves meant the Costner boys were always adapting to new neighborhoods, new schools, and new circles of friends. It wasn’t always easy, but it forged a sense of resilience in the family. Dan, as the oldest, naturally took on the role of big brother early. He was five years older than Kevin and roughly three years older than the middle brother, Mark Douglas Costner, who was born on January 17, 1953.

Growing up in the suburbs of greater Los Angeles, the Costner brothers were surrounded by the influence of the entertainment industry without being directly connected to it. Their parents weren’t actors or musicians. William and Sharon focused on providing a grounded, middle-class upbringing. The family attended Baptist church services regularly, and values like hard work and loyalty were central to the Costner household.

For Dan, childhood in Southern California was defined more by family barbecues and weekend outings than by any brush with celebrity. He grew up in an era before social media, before the 24-hour news cycle, and before his family name would mean anything to anyone outside their immediate community.

The Costner Brothers

The three Costner brothers each carved out their own identities as they grew older. Dan was the responsible firstborn, Mark was the middle child, and Kevin — born on January 18, 1955 — was the youngest and, by all accounts, the most restless of the trio.

Despite the age gaps, the brothers shared a close relationship rooted in their shared childhood experiences. Moving around Southern California meant they often relied on each other for companionship when friendships at school were still being formed. Dan, being the eldest by a significant margin, watched his younger brothers grow up with a mixture of protectiveness and pride.

Mark Douglas Costner, the middle brother, also chose to live outside the entertainment world. Like Dan, Mark has kept a low public profile throughout his life. The two older Costner brothers seem to have made a conscious choice to let Kevin have the spotlight while they pursued their own interests away from the cameras.

That dynamic — one brother achieving massive fame while the others stay private — isn’t unusual in Hollywood families, but it does require a certain amount of grace on all sides. There’s no public record of jealousy or estrangement among the Costner brothers. Instead, the family appears to have maintained a genuine closeness that has survived decades of Kevin’s ever-changing public life.

Kevin Costner’s Rise to Fame

When Kevin Costner broke through in the mid-1980s, it changed the trajectory of the entire family’s public identity. Films like The Untouchables (1987), Bull Durham (1988), and Field of Dreams (1989) turned Kevin into a household name practically overnight. His directorial debut, Dances with Wolves (1990), won seven Academy Awards and cemented his status as one of the most bankable stars in Hollywood.

For Dan, watching his baby brother become a global celebrity must have been a surreal experience. The kid who’d tagged along on family road trips through Southern California was now starring opposite Sean Connery and winning Oscars. Kevin’s success brought wealth, influence, and a level of public scrutiny that extended — however faintly — to the rest of the Costner family.

Kevin has spoken in interviews about the importance of his family throughout his career. He’s credited his parents with instilling the discipline and work ethic that drove him to succeed, and he’s acknowledged the stability that having supportive brothers provided during the uncertain early years of his acting career.

In more recent years, Kevin’s professional life has continued to generate headlines. His role as John Dutton in the hit series Yellowstone introduced him to a new generation of fans starting in 2018. His ambitious Western epic Horizon: An American Saga became a passion project that consumed much of his attention in the mid-2020s. Through all of it, the Costner family has remained a background presence — supportive but never seeking attention.

Kevin’s personal life has also drawn intense media coverage, particularly his divorce from Christine Baumgartner, which played out publicly between 2023 and 2024. The proceedings were contentious and widely reported, touching on everything from financial settlements to custody arrangements. For private family members like Dan, that kind of exposure is a reminder of the double-edged nature of fame.

Daniel’s Private Life

Daniel Craig Costner has never pursued a public career. He hasn’t appeared on talk shows, given magazine interviews, or sought any kind of media attention. In an age where celebrity family members often leverage their connections for their own spotlight — through reality TV, social media, or brand partnerships — Dan’s commitment to privacy stands out.

Very little is known about his professional life. He’s been described as an American businessman, but specifics about his career, business ventures, or personal milestones remain largely undocumented in the public record. That’s clearly by design. Dan has chosen to live on his own terms, separate from the Hollywood machinery that defines his brother’s world.

His decision to stay private doesn’t suggest any rift with Kevin. On the contrary, families that successfully navigate one member’s extreme fame often do so because the other members have healthy boundaries and their own sense of identity. Dan appears to be someone who’s comfortable with who he is, regardless of his last name’s association with blockbuster movies.

At 75 years old in 2026, Dan Costner represents a generation and a temperament that values substance over spectacle. He’s lived through the entire arc of his brother’s career — from obscurity to stardom, from Oscar wins to tabloid controversies — and has done so without ever stepping in front of a camera himself. That kind of quiet consistency says a lot about who he is.

Frequently Asked Questions

How old is Daniel Craig Costner?

Daniel Craig Costner was born in November 1950, making him 75 years old as of 2026. He’s approximately five years older than his famous brother Kevin Costner, who was born on January 18, 1955.

How many brothers does Kevin Costner have?

Kevin Costner has two older brothers. Daniel Craig Costner is the eldest, born in 1950, and Mark Douglas Costner is the middle brother, born on January 17, 1953. Kevin is the youngest of the three.

What does Daniel Craig Costner do for a living?

Daniel Craig Costner has been described as an American businessman, but he’s kept the details of his career and professional life private. Unlike his brother Kevin, Dan has never worked in the entertainment industry and has chosen to stay out of the public eye.

Where did the Costner brothers grow up?

The Costner brothers grew up in Southern California. Dan was born in Lynwood, a city in Los Angeles County. The family moved several times across the region during the boys’ childhood due to their father William’s work as a utility company executive.