While there have been plenty of marriages in Hollywood that have only lasted a couple years, if not significantly shorter, there are also a handful that have lasted much longer. In the case of Dances with Wolves and The Untouchables actor Kevin Costner, he and his wife, Christine Baumgartner, married in 2004 and share three children together. However, it’s been revealed that the couple is divorcing after 18 years.
Word’s come in that Christine Baumgartner filed divorce papers on Monday, though there was no specific reasoning for why she’d decided to terminate the marriage, only the standard “irreconcilable differences.” Both she and Kevin Costner have asked for joint custody of their two sons and one daughter, who are respectively aged 12, 14 and 15. It was also mentioned that Christine is not asking for spousal support, as there was a prenup between the two of them. Kevin Costner’s representative said this in a statement to TMZ:
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.
This is the second of Kevin Costner’s marriages to end; he was previously married to Cindy Silva from 1978 to 1994, and they had two daughters and a son together. He and Christine Baumgartner, a handbag designer, were together for four years before having their wedding, which was held at his ranch in Aspen, Colorado. It’s hard to say if we’ll learn more in the coming weeks/months about what’s led to them divorcing, but when it comes to their kids, it sounds like they’re on the same page with co-parenting.
News of the divorce comes as Costner is in the middle of shooting his Western epic Horizon, which has a sprawling cast that includes Jamie Campbell Bower from Stranger Things, as well as reunites him with a few of his Yellowstone co-stars. Speaking of that Paramount Network original, the first eight episodes of Season 5 aired from November 13, 2022 to January 1, 2023, and can be streamed with a Peacock subscription. However, it’s unclear when the remaining six episodes will air, and there’s even been rumors that Yellowstone will end after the current season because of “friction” with Costner. Amidst these rumors, the John Dutton actor has set up a Western-themed documentary TV series at A&E.
Kevin Costner isn’t the only Hollywood star to enter divorce proceedings recently. In late March, Reese Witherspoon revealed that she and her husband Jim Toth were going their separate ways, although the two reportedly aren’t “blaming” each other for the divorce. As far as Costner and Christine Baumgartner go, should any notable details surface about what led to their marriage ending, we’ll pass them along.
