A representative for the actor said Tuesday that Kevin Costner and his wife of nearly 19 years, Christine Baumgartner, are divorcing. Costner and Baumgartner, a fashion and handbag designer, began dating in 1998 before marrying on his Colorado ranch in 2004, Arnold Robinson, Costner’s publicist, said in a statement. They have two sons, ages 14 and 15. and a 12-year-old daughter together. Costner also has four adult children from previous relationships.
Costner defended his then-wife after the couple attended the 2022 Academy Awards, where they walked the red carpet together. Costner kept it classic in a black and white tuxedo, while Baumgartner donned a two-tone strapless dress. “How beautiful is my history?” Costner wrote at the time on Instagram.
It was the second marriage for Costner, 68, the Oscar and Emmy winner from the Paramount Network TV drama “Yellowstone” and films including “Dances With Wolves,” “The Bodyguard” and “Bull Durham.”
It’s not just Costner’s personal life that’s facing turmoil: The “Yellowstone” star was a no-show at a fan event at PaleyFest last month. His failure to appear, along with the absence of showrunner Taylor Sheridan and other key cast members, has fueled speculation that Costner may be leaving the Western drama, after a February Deadline report also suggested the global hit series could end “in great fashion.” “
“Yellowstone” aired its season 5 finale on January 1, and the show is set to return for a second half this summer.
CEO Keith Cox, president of Paramount Network, addressed the elephant in the room during a PaleyFest session, saying he was “very confident” that “the star, the face of our show” will continue “with the show.”
Yellowstone drama:Kevin Costner, Taylor Sheridan, the main cast miss the PaleyFest event and the fans are torn
“Yellowstone” star Kevin CostnerHe accepts the Golden Globe from the comfort of bed after the ceremony of absence
Contributing: Edward Segara and Brian AlexanderUSA Today