Kevin Costner says 'tough times' have left him 'bruised': 'I'm a single father'

As Kevin Costner continues to navigate the ups and downs of his personal and professional life, the "Yellowstone" star could not feel more blessed with how things are unfolding. 

During an appearance on "The View" on Monday, the Oscar Award-winning actor — whose divorce from ex Christine Baumgartner was finalized in February — opened up how his trials and tribulations both on screen and behind the scenes, including becoming a "single father," have helped him evaluate the kind of man he wants to be moving forward. 

"You know, I don't want to circle this back to movies, but I will for a second," Costner said after being asked how he handles life when "stuff hits the fan." "For as phony as they are, and as moving as they can be and funny as they can be, there's a lot of life lessons in movies."

KEVIN COSTNER'S EX CONFIRMS ROMANCE WITH FAMILY FRIEND AS ACTOR GETS TEARY DURING ‘HORIZON’ CANNES PREMIERE

Kevin Costner has big plans for the new year, including the release of his four-part movie series, "Horizon." (Mark Von Holden)

"Because we know who the bad guys are, we see it, we know who the buffoons are, and we know what it is to be noble, and sometimes even in defeat," he continued. "And so when you go to the movies, you can see who you want to be."

"So, I have had life take some bites out of me, and I have to look at myself as a movie," he added. "I know I'm just a person, but who am I going to be? And one of the things I need to do is maybe not think about myself too much. These tough times have been more a moment for me to look outward and make sure the people around me are all right."

Nevertheless, Costner said he has been "really lucky."

"Because I know I'm bruised, I know where I'm at, I've been really lucky, really lucky in my life," he told the hosts. "That doesn't mean I haven't been bruised, I've taken some big bites out of life, and life has taken some really big bites out of me, and I think I know who I want to be in the movies, and I think I know who I need to be in my life."

Kevin Costner said he never thought he would be a "single father." (Steve Granitz)

Costner — who shares Cayden, 17, Hayes, 15, and Grace, 14, with Baumgartner, and is dad to Annie, 40, Lily, 37, Joe, 36, and Liam, 26, from previous relationships — admitted that he never thought he would end up being a "single father."

CLICK HERE TO SIGN UP FOR THE ENTERTAINMENT NEWSLETTER

"Well, you would be shocked, but my life is very much like yours," he told the hosts. "I'm like living on a freeway, I think I'm an Uber driver. I might as well be one. I'm a single father …  that wasn't how I drew it, but that's where it is."

Baumgartner initially filed for divorce in May 2023, and the estranged couple had reached a settlement agreement in September, sources told Fox News Digital at the time. 

Their split began on a bitter tone, with the purse designer taking Costner to court over child support and the validity of their prenuptial agreement. The former couple agreed to joint legal and physical custody, with a holiday schedule set forth in the MSA, according to the documents obtained by Fox News Digital.

The Academy Award winner says his main priority is being a father to his seven children. (Getty Images)

LIKE WHAT YOU’RE READING? CLICK HERE FOR MORE ENTERTAINMENT NEWS

With his first two installments of his Western "Horizon: An American Saga" premiering this summer and his "Yellowstone" return up in the air, Costner said he knows where his priorities lie at the end of the day. 

"I’ve had an incredibly unusual, and for the most part, beautiful life," he told People magazine in a new interview. "[My kids] know that I have this chosen work, but honestly, I'm really clear about where my responsibility absolutely lies at the end of the day," he said. 

"What I can say is I've had an amazing life. I've been bruised, but I’ve had an amazing life, and I'm grateful for that."

Christina Dugan Ramirez is an entertainment writer for Fox News Digital.