Kevin Costner‘s wife, Christine Baumgartner, has officially filed to end their marriage after 18 years. The designer cited “irreconcilable differences” as the reason for the divorce but didn’t ask for spousal support.
Costner and Baumgartner married in 2003 and welcomed their first child, Cayden, four years later. The news of their divorce comes after Costner’s hit show, “Yellowstone,” was announced to end after its fifth season.
Read on to find out more.
Christine Baumgartner Files For Divorce From Kevin Costner
On Monday, Christine Baumgartner officially filed for divorce from Kevin Costner. According to the court documents obtained by TMZ, Baumgartner cited that they had “irreconcilable differences.” The estranged couple were together for about 18 years.
In her documents, 49-year-old Baumgartner asked the court to grant joint custody of her three kids with Costner. They had 15-year-old Cayden, 14-year-old Hayes, and 12-year-old Grace during the marriage. However, the designer didn’t request spousal support as she and Costner already have a prenup.
A rep for Costner spoke to TMZ about the divorce filings. They said, “It is with great sadness that circumstances beyond his control have transpired, resulting 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.”
On Tuesday, the “Bodyguard” actor responded to the divorce petition by requesting joint custody. His filing also stated, “Spousal support to be payable to petitioner under the terms of the parties’ Premarital Agreement.”
They Started Dating In 1999
Baumgartner and Costner started dating in 1999, very soon after he and ex-Bridget Rooney ended their relationship. He has a son with Rooney, a 27-year-old named Liam. The actor and Baumgartner split briefly in 2003 but reunited about a year after.
After their reunion, Baumgartner and Costner married in a private ceremony in Aspen. They welcomed their firstborn, Cayden, four years later in 2007. Hayes was born in 2009, and they had Grace the year after.
Before Baumgartner, Costner married Cindy Costner, but they ended their relationship in 2004. They also had three kids, 39-year-old Annie, 36-year-old Lily, and 35-year-old Joe. This brings the actor’s total number of kids to 7 from three women.
Kevin Costner’s Hit Show Is Reportedly Ending After Its Fifth Season
The couple’s divorce comes shortly after the announcement that “Yellowstone” would end after its fifth season. “Yellowstone” was the series that revived Costner’s acting career and won him several accolades for his performance. He’s won a Golden Globe award for the role of John Dutton.
There have been multiple rumors that Costner won’t return to the second part of season five because of a clash with show creator Taylor Sheridan. A source in the production team spoke to the New York Post about the rumored crash.
They said, “It’s the same as with any showrunner and big star — there’s respect, but there’s friction.” Another source, who’s worked closely with Sheridan before, claimed that there’s an ego battle, which would likely be Sheridan’s fault. They said, “Taylor is the star of his show. He’s the most important person on all of his shows.”
Kevin Costner Might Still Feature In The New ‘Yellowstone’ Episodes
In November 2022, the first half of “Yellowstone” season five premiered on the streaming platform Peacock. About 12 million fans watched the first set of episodes and are now hotly anticipating the second half this year. However, production is yet to commence, and the upcoming Hollywood writer’s strike will cause delays.
The source for the New York Post also commented on the possibility of Costner returning in the second half of the season. They said, “We’re hoping it will be worked out. It’s too big a show for things not to be worked out. Hopefully, Kevin will return for the remaining episodes if everyone works together, but it looks like ‘Yellowstone’ will end after this season.”
Another source added that no one in the production team or the cast knows the whole picture except one person. They said, “Only Taylor truly knows what is going on.”
