Actor Kevin Costner was allegedly reluctant to acknowledge his child with socialite Bridget Rooney, which led to him being compelled into taking a paternity test.
Although a questionable phenomenon, the personal lives of Hollywood celebrities cannot be deemed private. Take Kevin Costner, for example. The Emmy and Oscar-winning actor and filmmaker has a decorated repertoire within the industry. As a leading man in notable films, the talent found considerable fame. However, the cost of popularity often correlates to the death of privacy.
In addition to Costner’s accomplishments, the public is also aware of his romantic, personal pursuits. His relationships, marriages, and even their bitter conclusions have been heavily documented and reported in the media. Among these highly publicized associations, the star’s brief relationship with socialite Bridget Rooney stands out for multiple reasons.
Mainly for him being compelled to take a paternity test after Costner’s alleged hesitance to acknowledge the legitimacy of their child.
Why Kevin Costner Was Forced To Take A Paternity Test
As established before, Kevin Costner‘s romantic entanglements garnered buzz among the media and the general audience. His short-lived relationship with Bridget Rooney, however, stood out to many. After the actor divorced his first wife, Cindy Silva, with whom Costner was married for 16 years, he dated a few other women. It was only in 2004 that he would marry now-estranged partner Christine Baumgartner.
During the period around his first divorce in 1994, he began seeing socialite Bridget Rooney, who is currently married to billionaire businessman Bill Koch. Rooney is also the niece of the late Pittsburgh Steelers owner Dan Rooney. At the time, she wasn’t an actress. Her connections to Hollywood A-listers were alleged to have been a by-product of her family’s wealth and reputation.
Although the two dated only for a few months, their association became a scandalous topic, which put Bridget Rooney under further scrutiny and spotlight. This was caused by the actress’s 1996 pregnancy confession to New York Magazine. Here, the then-34-year-old, who worked at a TV station in Aspen at the time, stated the following:
“I’m 100% sure who the father is. I’m just enjoying my pregnancy. There was only one way to go with this. I’m 34 years old, and I’m fortunate to have a baby. I didn’t even think of the A word, only the B word.”
Sources allegedly informed the publication that Costner was unenthusiastic about the pregnancy news, unwilling to settle down. Rooney, nevertheless, was more than willing to proceed with the pregnancy on her own without Costner’s assistance.
The actor’s reluctance would ultimately cause Rooney to insist that Costner undergo the paternity test.
Kevin Costner Acknowledged His Son After The Paternity Test
In the New York Magazine article, an insider claimed how Bridget Rooney wasn’t “going after” the Bodyguard star for his wealth. “She’s independent and independently wealthy” were the words used by the source.
The same year, in November, the socialite gave birth to her son, Liam. A 2002 report by People confirmed Bridget Rooney proactively insisted on a paternity test. The celebrity, who had previously been reportedly reluctant to acknowledge the child as his own, only decided to father Liam once the DNA test results came positive. Costner additionally established a trust fund for Liam, contributing a substantial amount to it.
It was also mentioned in the 2002 report that Costner visited his son “occasionally but not on a regular basis.”
Currently, Liam Costner, aged 27, is said to be a real estate agent, away from the double-edged glitz and glamor of his father’s lifestyle.
As for Yellowstone alum Kevin Costner, his divorce from his second wife Christine Baumgartner was recently finalized in September of 2023. Their falling out was widely reported, making several headlines.