Read Kevin Costner's Statement After Wife Christine Baumgartner Files for Divorce
The Kevin Costner we see onscreen is, of course, part of a persona he puts on as one of America's most beloved Western TV actors. In classic '80s movies he transformed himself into everything from bodyguards to cowboys, and most recently saddled up to play John Dutton on the hit show Yellowstone. Step behind the curtain, and he's also a music lover (check out his public playlist of favorite country songs!), a father to 7 lovely children, and a husband to Christine Baumgartner. But after 18 years of marriage, the pair have officially decided to part ways.
Kevin Costner's wife filed for divorce, a surprising revelation amidst speculation that the actor is leaving Yellowstone. His team confirmed the news in a statement to The Hollywood Reporter. "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 message read.
Rewind the tape to 2004, and you'll find that the Yellowstone actor married his wife in a sweet Western ranch wedding. But tying the knot with Christine Baumgartner was just one point on the map of the couple's long romance. As with other Hollywood love stories, the pair crossed paths briefly in 1996 before they actually began dating.
Baumgartner and Costner ran into each other again at a restaurant two years later, and both happened to be single. "We exchanged numbers, and I told her that I would – did she mind if I called her in two weeks," Costner recounted to PEOPLE in 2003. "I did not realize that was like an insult to a woman." That John Dutton moment may be one of the biggest pickup fumbles ever recorded.
Here's a behind-the-scenes look at Kevin Costner's wife and kids.
Who is Kevin Costner's wife?
Christine Baumgartner is a former model, entrepreneur, and handbag designer. Her label, Cat Bag Couture, is sold online and in boutiques around Aspen.
Both she and Costner are extremely supportive of each other's careers. "I showed [some samples] to Kevin, and he said they were beautiful and amazing," Baumgartner explained to the Denver Post in 2005. "He told me I should take it to the next step and he'd help me. I've always loved fashion and style, and if you can mix it with function, it's perfect."
Costner has kept their relationship relatively private. Their Aspen wedding was a similarly quiet affair, save for the bride and groom's mode of transport—Costner arrived at the ceremony in a horse-drawn carriage and Baumgartner pulled up soon after in a vintage green pickup truck!
Does Kevin Costner have children?
Kevin Costner is the proud pop of three, sorry, four, sorry, seven children. While he didn't expect to have such a gaggle, he told PEOPLE last year that being a father is one of his greatest joys. "I work as a provider," he explained. "When I'm not making a movie...I'm getting the kids to their stuff or I'm waiting for them to come out of a party. I'm just twiddling my thumbs. People have a wrong idea about how my life works."
The Yellowstone cowboy has three adult children — Annie, Lily, and Joe — with his ex-wife Silva. He has another adult child, Liam, with ex-partner Bridget Rooney, who he briefly dated in the mid-'90s.
As for the younger Baumgartner clan, well, that's a story there. In an interview with Extra, Costner revealed that Baumgartner, who is 19 years his junior, made it clear from day one that she wanted kids. To Costner's credit, he had been "crushed" when he put his older children through a divorce and feared the prospect of doing that again. "Finally, there came a moment where [I thought] maybe this doesn't go forward," Costner explained. He quickly realized that was no way to think about life. "I'm not going to lose her because I'm afraid."
The pair are raising three children—Cayden Wyatt, 15, Hayes Logan, 14, and Grace Avery, 12.
You Might Also Like
