Kevin Costner’s busy work schedule made his wife Christine ‘unhappy’ prior to their shock split: ‘His absence has been very hard for her’
Kevin Costner‘s nonstop work schedule reportedly made his wife Christine Baumgartner ‘unhappy’ prior to her filing for divorce earlier last week.
The 68-year-old Yellowstone star’s absence was ‘hard’ for Christine, 49, who wanted him to spend more time at their family home in Santa Barbara.
‘During filming, Kevin is not around very much. His absence has been very hard for her,’ a source told People on Monday.
The insider added that though the Hollywood veteran was aware that Christine was unhappy, her divorce filing after 18 years of marriage was still an ‘unpleasant surprise.’
As Costner’s revived career continued to pick up more steam amid the popularity of Yellowstone, his wife was concerned about his new projects, including his upcoming Western epic, Horizon.
‘Christine doesn’t want him to throw himself into another project. He has been obsessed with filming Horizon since last year. She wasn’t happy about it.’
‘At times, his career has taken precedence over his home life,’ another source told the publication.
The source added that The Bodyguard actor ‘hasn’t been home very much for quite some time due to filming, the popularity of Yellowstone, and the time necessary for his other projects. He has been in demand.’
‘All of this success and excitement over the new project probably took his attention away from his family more than he realized. Since it didn’t look like that would change and likely could get worse, it caused tension at home.’
Costner was seen for the first time since his marital strife emerged as he hit the golf range last Tuesday in St. George, just hours after news of his divorce surfaced.
Kevin’s wife Christine, whom he was been married to since 2004, filed for divorce last week, citing ‘irreconcilable differences.’
The couple have three children together: Cayden, 15, Hayes, 14, and Grace, 12.
Costner was previously married to Cindy Silva from 1978 to 1994 and they share three children – Annie, 39, Lily, 36, and Joe, 35. He also shares a son Liam Costner with Bridget Rooney, who he dated after his split with Silva.
The actor and filmmaker has been filming in Utah for his new film Horizon, which marks his first directorial project in 20 years, since 2003’s Open Range.
Prior to that he was busy filming in Montana, the location of his television series Yellowstone.
Last week, Paramount confirmed that Yellowstone would be ending following the current season.
The show is on a break – with part two of season five set to debut November.
Last year it was suggested that Christine had told him to quit the show or else she would leave him.
Costner filed his response to the divorce on Tuesday, and he is also seeking joint custody of their children.
The actor and Baumgartner, a model and fashion designer, started dating in 2000 and tied the knot at Costner’s Aspen, Colorado ranch in 2004.
‘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,’ a statement from Costner’s rep read.
‘We ask that his, Christine’s and their children’s privacy be respected as they navigate this difficult time,’ the statement concluded.
Baumgartner is not said to be filing for spousal support, with Costner’s response filed by Laura Wasser.
‘Spousal support to be payable to petitioner pursuant to the terms of the parties’ Premarital Agreement,’ Wasser said, indicating there is a pre-nuptial agreement between Costner and Baumgartner.
A hearing in the couple’s divorce case is set for July.
The divorce news comes weeks after DailyMail.com reported new details about Costner’s rift with Yellowstone creator Taylor Sheridan.
Sources claimed Sheridan developed a ‘God complex’ which left Costner reportedly frustrated with the development of the hit Paramount Network series.
The show has been a monster hit for the network, and tells the story of the Dutton family, and their battles over their gigantic Montana ranch.
It is still a ratings smash, but the atmosphere on set is said to have become fraught over Costner’s insistence on only working part of the week.
But fans of Yellowstone will likely be soothed by news that a sequel has already been given a full-series order.
Matthew McConaughey has been tipped as its possible star, although producers have yet to confirm any members of its new cast.
Inside Kevin Costner’s colorful love life: Two divorces, a love child and rumors of infidelity
Kevin Costner’s marriage to second wife Christine Baumgartner is coming to an end after 18 years and three children together.
Baumgartner, 49, cited ‘irreconcilable differences’ as the reason for the shock split, which reportedly ‘blindsided’ the Yellowstone star, 68.
And in wake of his latest failed union, DailyMail.com is taking a deep dive into the actor’s colorful love life.
First wife Cindy Silva
In November 1994, Costner’s then wife, Cindy Silva, filed for divorce after 16 years of marriage.
‘We have amicably resolved all issues regarding our children and financial affairs and a full marital settlement has been reached. We ask to be allowed the dignity of sorting through this more painful part of our lives in private,’ a statement from the couple read in 1994.
Costner and Silva met while they were both students at California State University – Fullerton.
They would go on to have three children together.
The pair split amid multiple reports that Costner had been having an affair with a celebrated hula dancer named Michele Amaral while he was filming his multi-million dollar flop Waterworld in Hawaii.
Eventually, Silva was awarded around $80 million in the divorce settlement.
In a 1995 interview, The Bodyguard star took responsibility for his role in the demise of his marriage, but did not go into detail.
‘A series of events conspired to happen at the same time. I know it hurt some people that I had failed in my marriage. And the marriage was my own failure,’ he said.
Costner said in a 1995 interview with Parade Magazine that he never even spoke to Amaral on the phone.
He also listed off the other women he was supposedly linked to including Playboy model Angie Everheart and the daughter of casino magnate Steve Wynn.
‘It was hard on Cindy and our children. It didn’t help things. The only thing it did was hurt. The collapse of my marriage was the hardest thing of all for me,’ the Dances With Wolves star said.
Costner went on to express his love for his first wife: ‘You can put this on the record. Through all the pain, Cindy’s been what I always thought she was a real lady. I still have love for Cindy.’
Silva supported Costner when he was a struggling actor, taking on odd-jobs that included performing as Snow White at Disneyland.
Short-lived fling Bridget Rooney
Less than two years after his split from Silva, Costner had a son, Liam, with Bridget Rooney.
She is heiress to the Pittsburgh Steelers, and the aunt of actresses Rooney and Kate Mara.
In 1996 Rooney insisted that she was ‘110% sure who the father’ of her child was.
But Rooney still ‘insisted on a paternity test’ to prove paternity, according to a 2002 article from PEOPLE.
That months-long affair is rumored to have cost the actor $7 million.
Liam in now 27-years-old.
‘Mistress’ Michele Amaral
Costner allegedly had an affair with a celebrated hula dancer named Michele Amaral while he was filming his multi-million dollar flop Waterworld in Hawaii.
Amaral was also married as well as being a mother-of-two when she met Costner.
A report at the time in the New York Daily News said that the pair met at the Mauna Lani hotel and shortly afterwards Amaral was ‘spotted creeping out of his $4,500-a-day villa.
According to a Departures Magazine feature, Amaral has taught hula across the world and is known as the island’s premier soloist.
The Daily News report said that Silva was alerted to the affair by someone who was working on Waterworld and was fired.
The same article accused Costner of multiple infidelities during his marriage.
At the time Costner strenuously denied the allegations saying that he was merely interviewing Amaral for a job.
During an interview where Amaral was brought up, Costner became infuriated.
‘This woman has done nothing wrong and yet has had to share the harsh light of celebrity with me. I feel embarrassed, and I don’t think there’s one thing I can do to make her life better.’
‘This woman has a name and to make her a thing is the worst part of all. It’s wrong for her and her husband,’ Costner said.
Second wife Christine Baumgartner
Costner and second wife Baumgartner first began dating in 1998, having met around 1996 while Costner was filming his movie Tin Cup.
The Bodyguard star said that at the time he first met her, he wasn’t ready to fall in love again.
Both are graduates of California State University – Fullerton. Baumgartner graduated with a degree in business.
They married in 2004 in Aspen, Colorado, where Costner has long maintained a 160-acre ranch, known as The Dunbar. Rooms can be rented on the property for as much as $36,000 per night.
The reason for the long courtship was because Costner was not sure if wanted more kids. The uncertainty even led them to break up for a period prior to their engagement.
‘Fear kept me from marrying Christine. [She] wanted a child, but I was afraid I couldn’t be an effective father.’
‘I woke up and thought, ‘Am I going to lose a beautiful woman who is willing to be with me to my very last breath because I am afraid to say yes to a child?’ That’s all it took. Sometimes you learn the thing you’re most afraid of will save your life,’ he told Closer Weekly in 2018.
Costner told the Daily Telegraph in 2011 that the reason for his four year hiatus from making movies was because of his new family.
As a recently as 2020, Costner spoke glowingly about how the couple’s relationship strengthened during the Covid-19 pandemic. He told People: ‘Our partnership has really come into focus about what we do for each other and how we deal with our family.’
In 2022, Radar Online reported that Costner was given an ultimatum from his wife. The report said that she was demanding that he quit his hit show Yellowstone due to the fact that he was gone from home so often.
‘The show is such a mega-hit, producers want it to go on forever! [Baumgartner] wants a firm commitment this is his last season — or he might have to!,’ a source told the website.
And on Tuesday, May 2, it was revealed that Baumgartner had filed for divorce after 18 years of marriage.
A representative for the Yellowstone star asked for privacy while saying that ‘circumstances beyond his control have transpired which have resulted in Mr. Costner having to participate in a dissolution of marriage action’ with Baumgartner.
The couple share three children, 12, 14 and 15, and both have filed for joint custody.
The family’s primary residence was in Ventura, California, 30 miles south of Santa Barbara, where they also own an oceanfront mansion.
The couple has a prenup, reports TMZ.
