Kevin Costner Rejected Pittsburgh Steelers' Heiress' Son Liam until DNA Test Proved He Was the Father

Famous American actor Kevin Costner after divorcing his first wife refused to accept the child he fathered with girlfriend Bridget Rooney until she conducted a paternity test.

Kevin Costner announced himself to movie fans with his stunning performance in the movie "Silvernado" in 1985, and he followed that up with equally assured performance in 1988s "Bull Durham" and "Field of Dreams" a year later.

The actor became the talk of Hollywood when his 1990 directorial debut movie "Dance With The Wolves" won a staggering seven Oscar awards.

After that, everyone wanted a piece of Costner, but life had other plans, and contrary to expectations, things went downhill for the actor-director.

Costner could not match his earlier success and his subsequent movies 1995s "Waterworld" and "The Postman" in 1997, which were very expensive to make both flopped commercially.

He followed them up with "Dragonfly," The movie which got unfavorable reviews from critics also made less than $20 million in two weeks. His on-screen troubles also leaked into his marriage, and after almost two decades with his wife Silva, the pair announced their divorce.

COSTNER'S ROMANCE WITH CINDY SILVA

Kevin Costner met Cindy Silva back in 1975 at California State University at Fullerton. Silva was majoring in Biological Sciences and was also a nominee for the homecoming queen.

Costner, on the other hand, was just a 5"2 skinny kid majoring in Business Administration, and he never thought he stood a chance winning Silva's heart.

Surprisingly, Silva was quite enthusiastic about Costner when they met at a Delta Chi Fraternity house party in 1975. The pair became inseparable from that point. On their first date, Costner took her to see "Funny Girl" and afterward, home, to meet his parents.

Two and half years later, the lovebirds got married. The couple went to Puerto Vallarta, Mexico, for their honeymoon.

They struggled financially during the early stages of their marriage. While Silva worked in marketing for Delta Airlines, Costner struggled to make a mark in the movie industry.

The couple welcomed their first child, daughter Annie in April 1984, and she was joined two years later by Lily in August 1986. Their son Joe arrived in January 1988.

MARRIAGE TROUBLES

During the late 80s, things got better financially for the couple with Costner's success in the movies "No Way Out" and "Bill Durham." But at the same time, his filming schedule created a strain between them.

In an attempt to bridge that gap and be involved in her husband's career, Silva took the kids and stayed with Costner while he filmed "Dances With The Wolves."

She also threw several parties for the cast during the fourth month-long shoot in South Dakota and Wyoming while also taking care of the kids.

Costner's next movie, "Robin Hood," took him to England for four months, and Silva stayed home with the kids who had resumed school.

Kevin Costner was still in London filming "Robin Hood" when British tabloids started printing news about an alleged affair with a London receptionist Sheri Stewart.

The actor denied the allegations and declared he was scared about the effect fame would have on his family because he did not want to lose them.

Costner had promised Silva he would take a year off from filming to stay with her and the kids, but when he was offered the role of Jim Garrison in the movie "JFK," the actor and his wife felt the part was too important to turn down.

The actor from that point went from one movie set to another, sacrificing time meant to be spent with his wife and kids.

DIVORCE

Infidelity rumors continued to follow Costner around. He was again alleged to be having an affair with a 35-year-old woman Michelle Amaral who was working as a dancer at the hotel Costner stayed in while filming "Waterworld."

A week later, the couple shocked and saddened fans when they announced that after 16 years of marriage, they would be getting a divorce.

The couple had amicably resolved all issues regarding their children, financials, and a full marital settlement had been reached.

COSTNER AND BRIDGET ROONEY

After his divorce from ex-wife Silva, Costner became romantically involved with Bridget Rooney, the niece of Pittsburgh Steelers owner Dan Rooney.

Their romance lasted for several months before Rooney gave birth to a baby boy, Liam, in November 1996. She named Costner the baby's father, but the actor refused to admit the child as his own.

Afterward, Bridget insisted on a paternity test, revealing that Costner fathered Child Liam. The actor was compelled to acknowledge his child, and he subsequently set up a trust fund for Liam.

Costner also occasionally visited the child but not regularly because his mother, Bridget Rooney, relocated from Aspen to Palm beach.

ROONEY'S LIFE AFTER RELATIONSHIP WITH COSTNER

Bridget Rooney married multimillionaire investor William I. Koch after her relationship with Costner. They had met near Aspen, Colorado, where Rooney owns a ranch.

William Koch, an entrepreneur, and oil man, was raised in Wichita, Kansas City. He graduated with three degrees from M.I.T., which included a P.H.D.

He is also the owner of "Oxbow," North America's largest importer and exporter of petroleum coke. The company generates a staggering $1 billion in annual revenue.

William also inherited hundreds of millions from his father Fred Koch, the founder of "Koch Industries," which is the second-largest privately owned company in the United States

Due to his deep pockets, William is a big spender and is a collector of wine, art, and antiques. Koch and Rooney sent tongues wagging when they purchased a giant yellow diamond ring, a 1941 painting of three seminude women called "Magritte's L'Embellie."

The lovebirds also bought a pair of two-foot-tall silver centerpieces made in 1860 by Queen Victoria's silversmiths," R.&S. Garrard & Company."

William is also a father to four children; His eldest son, whom he fathered with ex-wife Joan Koch, his daughter Charlotte from his relationship with an ex-girlfriend and William, and Robin, by his ex-wife Angela Koch. He is also the stepfather to Costner's son with Bridget Rooney, Liam.

KEVIN COSTNER'S SECOND MARRIAGE

Kevin Costner met ex-model and current handbag designer Christine Baumgartner 10 years before becoming romantically involved. Costner and Baumgartner dated for two years before breaking up briefly in 2002 because the actor did not want a child with the model.

They reconciled some months later before the pair got engaged in 2003. A year later, the couple tied the knot at Costner's ranch in Aspen. The couple has since become parents to Cayden, Hayes, and Grace, bringing the number of Costner's kids to seven.