Well, this is a surprise. Kevin Costner and Christine Baumgartner are splitting up. Christine filed for divorce after almost nineteen years of marriage. They were together for six years before their 2004 wedding too, meaning… they’ve been together since the 1990s. It’s not just the fact that they’re divorcing though – in an exclusive statement to People Magazine, Costner’s rep makes it sound like Kevin absolutely does not want this.
Kevin Costner and Christine Baumgartner are separating. Baumgarten, 49, has filed for divorce, PEOPLE has confirmed.
In a statement to PEOPLE, Costner’s representative said, “It is with great sadness that circumstances beyond his control have transpired which have resulted in Mr. Costner having to participate in a dissolution of marriage action. We ask that his, Christine’s, and their children’s privacy be respected as they navigate this difficult time,” the rep added.
The pair wed in September 2004 and have three children together, sons Cayden, 15, and Hayes, 14, plus daughter Grace, 12. Costner, 68, also has four older children from previous relationships, daughters Annie and Lily and sons Joe and Liam.
Costner sort of remade his career with Yellowstone, a hit drama he stars in and executive produces, and he’s a key part of putting together all of the spinoffs and such. Like, the franchise is his baby, and it’s a very profitable and career-fulfilling baby at that. According to the Mail’s sources, Christine asked him to quit the series because the shooting schedule (in Montana) is so intensive, it was affecting their family. The Mail also points out that Costner was recently in Las Vegas and he (gasp) posed for photos with his arms around some fans at the Milano Restaurant and Bar.
So… I don’t know. The terse statement from Costner’s rep makes me think that he crossed some kind of line somewhere and Christine decided that was it. Was the line an “affair” or was it about his professional ambitions? I don’t know.
Photos courtesy of Avalon Red.
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- Kevin Costner arrives at the 94th Oscars® at the Dolby Theatre at Ovation Hollywood in Los Angeles, CA, on Sunday, March 27, 2022.,Image: 673495574, License: Rights-managed, Restrictions: ©A.M.P.A.S. All rights reserved., Model Release: no, Credit line: LCY / Avalon
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- Kevin Costner arrives with guest on the red carpet of the 94th Oscars® at the Dolby Theatre at Ovation Hollywood in Los Angeles, CA, on Sunday, March 27, 2022.,Image: 673539420, License: Rights-managed, Restrictions: Avalon Licensing Ltd. do not claim any Copyright of the attached image WORLD RIGHTS- Fee Payable Upon reproduction – For queries contact Avalon sales@Avalon.red London +44 20 7421 6000 Los Angeles +1 310 822 0419 Berlin +49 30 76 212 251 Madrid +34 91 533, Model Release: no, Credit line: Avalon.red / Avalon
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- Christine Baumgartner and Kevin Costner arrive on the red carpet of the 94th Oscars® at the Dolby Theatre at Ovation Hollywood in Los Angeles, CA, on Sunday, March 27, 2022.,Image: 673541629, License: Rights-managed, Restrictions: Avalon Licensing Ltd. do not claim any Copyright of the attached image WORLD RIGHTS- Fee Payable Upon reproduction – For queries contact Avalon sales@Avalon.red London +44 20 7421 6000 Los Angeles +1 310 822 0419 Berlin +49 30 76 212 251 Madrid +34 91 533, Model Release: no, Credit line: Avalon.red / Avalon
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- Kevin Costner attends the 2022 Vanity Fair Oscar Party Hosted By Radhika Jones celebrating the 94th annual Academy Awards at the Wallis Annenberg Center for the Performing Arts on March 27, 2022 in Beverly Hills, California,Image: 673570618, License: Rights-managed, Restrictions: , Model Release: no, Pictured: Kevin Costner, Credit line: – / JPI Studios / Avalon
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- Kevin Costner attends the 2022 Vanity Fair Oscar Party Hosted By Radhika Jones celebrating the 94th annual Academy Awards at the Wallis Annenberg Center for the Performing Arts on March 27, 2022 in Beverly Hills, California,Image: 673570677, License: Rights-managed, Restrictions: , Model Release: no, Pictured: Kevin Costner, Credit line: – / JPI Studios / Avalon
I swear it was scandalous when they got together but I couldn’t find anything other than just the age gap-am I making it up?
The divorce from his first wife was a big deal because when he became really famous, his image was that of a devoted family man.
I also remember reading at the time that a massage therapist reported him for asking for a “happy ending”. This was either on their wedding weekend or honeymoon.
Yep. I wanna say it happened when they were honeymooning in Scotland. I think of that whenever he comes up.
That’s all I think of, too. I want to say that there was a threat of a breakup surrounding that incident, but I may have imagined that. It wasn’t “verified” at the time if I recall correctly. It definitely colors my opinion of him as a person, although he was objectively a very, very, very attractive man at the time.
His divorce from his first wife Cindy was shocking because his image was based on his clean cut looks, love of baseball and his family. I think it was crap, but people believed it. Plus, he was a huge movie star and producer at the time.
Christine didn’t overlap with his first wife so if there was anything dodgy about his divorce, it wasn’t down to her. There were several intervening girlfriends, at least one of whom had a child with him so the gap must have been of some length.
I’ll add to what the other commenters have stated to say I read (in the 90’s) a really crappy comment he made about his first wife when they divorced. I had a HUGE crush on him when I was a kid and I lost a lot of respect for him and what he said. If I find the article I’ll share it. He was a major douche bag after wards is what I also read.
Costner he had a brief relationship with Bridget Rooney, whom he had a son with in 1996.
Bridget Rooney is a member of the “Rooney Family” that owns the Pittsburgh Steelers football franchise.
Related to the acting rooneys too
I don’t think it’s an affair. The report is he may in fact not quit Yellowstone and he’s got a huge new Western project.
My guess Christine realized he’s not in fact listening to her on spending more time at home and she’s had it. This sounds like Giselle leaving Tom cause he chose football. My guess is Costner got an ultimatum to focus more on family, agreed to it, then changed his mind.
I tend to agree. His career has always been full of projects, and he’s very hands on, but this whole Yellowstone universe, plus his other big new western project can’t leave much time for family. Raising three teenagers on your own while your husband is forever on location, even with all the money in the world, has to be really tough.
@ C-Shell, I think that this would be a very likely scenario as well.
But can we talk about his PR’s spin about his impending divorce?
“It is with great sadness….resulted in Mr. Costner having to participate in a dissolution of marriage action.”
Why would they use “participate” with his involvement of his divorce? Are they placing the blame solely on Christine?? That’s what a dirty dog does, not a respectful and honest man.
I agree, @BothSidesNow. My first thought was that he was implying that SHE had cheated!
She’s stuck raising 3 teenagers alone while he’s off in Montana being a TV star. Bet they had a time line agreement, and he now wants to keep going. Because some of these guys can NOT let go of their glory days for as long as they can get them. I think he’ll really regret this.
idk….with that much money, i doubt she’s stuck anywhere raising kids….He’s taking a chance to make a lot of money..i think i’d be more proud of a hubs that makes efforts to provide versus a slug
I’m would really be disappointed this is about kevin being unfaithful.
Yeah, I think she’s divorcing because he’s spending so much time away and developing that three-picture western deal that are three continuing story movies he envisions coming out three or four months apart and then broken down into a series to air on TV or a streamer, which he once said he talked his wife into mortgaging their beach property to fund. He once took $21 million of his own money to make “Swing Vote,” which flopped. He said he is not a great businessman but follows his passions. To film the three movies he will be away in Utah, or Montana, and it will take 256 days or so to film. I’m sure there will be some time in between to come home before filming the second and third one. Plus, if he comes back to Yellowstone, add on to that time away from their home in California. They have a massive spread in Colorado also they stay at. He also has another project he’s producing with Morgan Freeman.
Right now she probably feels alone in the marriage with him gone so much filming Yellowstone over these last years and now with the new projects no end in sight and her raising their three children during those long periods alone, and he’s not listening.
There was a blind item about someone on Yellowstone getting someone pregnant. Just saying.
Knocking someone up wouldn’t exactly have been a circumstance beyond his control. What if Christine fell in love with someone else? All that time alone, beautiful woman… IDK
Enter the 25 year old!
That dude is a cliche.
They have three teenagers who probably are a lot of work, like all kids. That’s an age where a nanny isn’t the solution anymore, you need to parent them. It’s exhausting. So if your husband chooses that time to work more, I can only imagine what that’s like. Baumgartner is what – late 40s at most? These are the years when you probably look at your life and go “Oh hell no, I’m not wasting my best years on this shit.” Specualtion but women these days have options and men don’t seem to understand that.
This.
Except for the ones that do, and are trying to end “no-fault divorces” to force women to stay tied to their abusive asses.
UGH. Not the point, but still.
It is a good point, though, and I dislike his choice to highlight how he doesn’t want the divorce and is “having to participate” as though given the opportunity he’d force her to stay married to him.
The push against women’s independence is real in this country.
Yeah, his statement reeks of “This isn’t my fault!” Except of course it is. For whatever reason he is not the husband she wants.
I think that’s reading a bit much in to it, especially because we don’t know anything about why they are divorcing. She filed for divorce, he doesn’t want to split up. I don’t think anyone is required to be gracious about their partner leaving them.
@Huffle. The anti-no fault divorce losers are exactly what came to mind when I read Kevin’s statement.
Kevin sounds seriously defensive in his statement. It makes me think he’s trying to get ahead of something.
+1
If they divorce, is she not even more alone raising 3 teenagers?
She was just 24 when they met while he was a 43 year-old divorced father. She probably built her life around him and their kids. 25 years in and 40+, you are able to see yourself and your spouse in that true light. You realize that this is who he is and this will be your life. For her, being a married single mother probably wasn’t worth it anymore.
I wish her strength and the best of luck.
Also there is the fact that Kevin is well into his golden years and all the “surprises” that entails. He looks like he is in good health (although he needs to get skin checks because he’s showing some UV damage), but that could change. While the age gap remains the same, there’s a big difference between a 40+ man and a 70+.man. The geezer factor is real!
Still, it seems the main issue is that his wife is tending their children mostly alone. That can get old fast.
Indeed, best of luck to her.
Sounds like she has another man, to me.
Not necessarily, sometimes “No man” can seem more alluring than the man you have or any man at all when your fed up or had enough.
I’m sure it was a number of things but him being almost 70 and her still being reasonably young didn’t help. Every one of my friends who married someone older ran into this when they were around 50 and the guy was pushing 70. They just get sick of being with an older guy.
Ouch!
I’ve encountered this with friends, too; and it always makes me roll my eyes. I mean, *I* was shocked when you married him because of the age difference, but after 20 years you are just realizing it? Lol
But Kevin Costner is fit and handsome and is extremely active and interested in life. I once read an interview with him about what all he does out on his ranch. I mean, that man hauled logs, does just about everything you could do as a physically active man out on that many acres. He loves the land. Most women would find that quite attractive in a man compared to a man their age that does an office job and sits around when he gets home and drinks,or watches television, or sits on the computer, etc.
I think the problem is he’s focusing more on his career which is taking him away for long periods of time and creating even more projects that will do the same. If you’re not together for long stretches, the marriage suffers.
@Jayna
To me, that’s the kind of stuff that sounds great in a romance novel or Hallmark movie, but would suck in real life. At least you can watch tv and go out for drinks together with office guy. Hauling logs and whatnot, especially when you’re as rich as Costner, is just a act of vanity that’s only for himself. And what happens when the kids have a soccer game but Mr Log Hauler can’t make it because his precious pointless hobby is at the same time?
I feel like this is going to be another Sylvester Stallone Jennifer Flavin situation. It’s a wake-up call to the men. You can’t take your spouse for granted for decades. And once the kids are grown and out living their own lives. What’s left for the rest of your life? Other than being Mrs. Famous. Maybe at 24, it’s exciting but at almost, 50, not so much.
My guess, is he will do whatever Sylvester did and get back in her good graces and reconcile.
I just assumed she finally got tired of his monotone.
I’ve only watched a few episodes of Yellowstone, but I feel like he’s got to be the worst actor on that show, right? All of his lines sound like he’s reading them off of a teleprompter! Admittedly, I haven’t seen a ton of his other acting, but he hasn’t always been so…blah, has he?
It was pretty well known that he cheated a lot during his first marriage.
I remember the story about him and the massage person too and that was early in this marriage.
Money or not, he puts himself first.
He is away so much, it’s gotta be like being a single parent for her.
He spoke in interviews, often, about how he was reluctant to have kids as his first family was already grown, in fact they broke up for a time bc of it.
20+ years of a husband putting himself and his ego/career ahead of his wife and children.
She has had enough. Good for her, I say.
Yep, I remember the massage story, too.
I like his work, and he has an easy charm, but every time I see him in interviews he seems like A LOT. It’s not a stretch to think his default setting is ‘sensitive artiste’. That can get old if the other person in the relationship is expected to do the heavy lifting while the artiste gets to focus on their work, and themselves, for extended periods.
All I remember from the start of this relationship is that Joan Rivers absolutely shamed him to his face in a live red carpet interview for the puny, almost invisible-to-the-naked-eye engagement ring he had given Christine, and shortly thereafter she had a new, absolutely gigantic rock on her finger – along with fawning coverage of said rock in People and InStyle. It was a Jaw dropping ring, but it said more about his ego and image than his love for her.
I CAME TO SAY THE SAME THING!
He will forever, and ever, be the guy who Joan Rivers diamond-shamed to his face on the red carpet. It was the absolute very best of Joan and so delicious to watch. RIP to a legend.
There have been a few shady stories about him over the years. Not pretty.
Details?
I’ve heard stories for years about what a horn dog he is–hitting on all kinds of women. Maybe the old dog never changed his tricks.
First wife got 80 million dollars from Costner in the divorce. He locked down a prenup for the second marriage. But when a woman is done, she’s done.
I love that Joan Rivers shaming him story.
I think that is exactly who he is.
He is #1.
He sees the women and children in his life as accessories and replaceable.
It is “his” money, his wife, his career, his talent, the homes are his property.
I am positive he never thought she would divorce him bc he sees himself as the Star, Artist, Center of the universe, Center and anchor of the family at all times. The Patriarch!
The pre-nup might not hold either.
CA is a 50/50 state. Plus Costner will make an offer including A Keep your mouth shut clause with good $$ to stay quiet.
Costner has an estimated wealth of $300M. His first wife got $80M, the Rooney with kid got $7M.
18 years married, 3 minor kids= My guesstimate? $50-60Million.
Think about the fact that she has been with him for 24-25 years and is now 49.
I bet she, like G did with Brady, Hey! We are your family, we deserve your time, love.
He does not need money or projects at damn near 70.
I enjoy Yellowstone. But at 70, he needs to face reality his young kids deserve his time.
I recall when he hit it big, it was well known in the tabs that he was a cheater a LOT in his first marriage. Cindy must have signed A Keep Your Mouth Shut clause too bc after their divorce she and their kids were rarely seen for many years.
IMO, he never looked happy with her. Even in their wedding photos he has a straight face and is not smiling. Most times she just seemed like someone on his arm at an event. He did interviews admitting he didn’t want to settle down or have kids with her and she left him after 6 years, but he didn’t want to lose her, so he agreed to marriage and kids. That’s never a good reason to start a family.
Also, I remember when she showed her engagement ring on the red carpet and Joan Rivers called him out on the fact that it was so TINY. Rivers said something like, “you tool, it should be 10 times bigger,” and Christine immediately snatched her hand away…he later replaced the engagement ring with a bigger one!
I gotta say if one person openly says they do NOT want kids, but you talk them around, that is shaky right from the go.
I’m paraphrasing but when the Rooney woman was pregnant, Costner publicly said “Yes, it’s my kid. But that kid will never be equal to me because of the situation.”
He came out and declared bc Rooney was a fling, their child meant LESS to him vs. his kids with his wife. The wife her constantly cheated on!
Good looking or not. THAT is a Grade A a**hole!
The son, Liam, is a really handsome young man and successful realtor. Bridget married billionaire Bill Koch when he was young. (Bill is one of the Koch brothers but way less politically active than Charles and David who we generally hear about it. There’s bad blood there too.)
The Yellowstone situation was a big deal in the trades for a few months now. They’re not filming the second half of the season yet because Kevin apparently only wanted to film his scenes all at once for about a week. He already had a very short filming schedule. So, at least for Yellowstone, he’s not gone much. And he’s not hands on with the Yellowstone universe. That’s all Taylor Sheridan. He does have other projects though. But the divorce action makes you wonder if personal reasons were behind his seeming intransigence on having a very abbreviated filming schedule. Wonder if that’ll change now or if it’ll further strain his relationship with Sheridan.
When I first read about the divorce I thought she had enough of his wandering eye.
I read that she cheated. I can’t stop laughing about this. He is gone for weeks on end. She is raising teenagers alone. She is beautiful.
I have a feeling some nice guy stepped up and let her know she deserved better. She said “Yes, I am!”
She turned the tables on him and took her power back. If this is the case I am happy for her.
I love Kevin. Huge crush. I don’t know how she put up with him for so long.
Costner is a good actor. In his professional and real life?
Please tell me why people stick their noses in other peoples buisness.