Kevin Costner was putting the finishing touches on Horizon: An American Saga, but at the same time he was grieving the end of his nearly 20-year relationship with ex-wife Christine Baumgartner.
According to documents obtained by Fox News Digital, Costner, 69, spent much of 2023 battling divorce from Baumgartner, 50, after she filed to end their 18-year marriage in May 2023. By February 2024, the divorce was finalized, leaving Costner single again.
Though their relationship is over, the “Field of Dreams” actor spoke to Fox News Digital about the qualities he’s looking for when searching for a new romantic partner in his life.
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Kevin Costner has a few prerequisites in mind when it comes to finding a new partner. (Getty Images)
“I’ve had two unique relationships,” Costner confessed, before revealing what kind of partner he’s looking for.
“People who want to love and be loved want to be their best selves, and love should help them do that, not hinder them.”
“People who want to love and be loved want to be their best selves, and love should help them do that, not hinder them.”
Costner’s first marriage was to the former wife Cindy Silva, whom he met while attending California State University, Fullerton, and they married in 1978.
Cindy and Kevin were married for 16 years and had three children together before their divorce was finalized in 1994. Silva received a reported $80 million in divorce settlement, one of the largest in celebrity divorce history, according to Forbes magazine.
Kevin Costner and his ex-wife, Cindy Silva, divorced in 1994. (Ron Galella Collection)
“My faith was shaken,” Costner said of his divorce in a 2012 interview with The Hollywood Reporter. “No one wants a marriage to end, but it did. You only get to see the people you love most, your children, half the time. That’s a huge loss.”
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Before meeting Kristin, Costner had one son with ex-partner Bridget Rooney.
Costner and Baumgartner The couple, who began dating in 1998, announced their engagement in June 2003. They married at Costner’s 165-acre ranch near Aspen, Colorado, and now co-parent three children together: sons Hayes, 15, Kayden, 17, and daughter Grace, 14.
At the end of the year, the “Bull Durham” star was spotted hanging out with singer Jewel in the British Virgin Islands, sparking dating rumors.
Kevin Costner and his ex-wife, Christine, were married in Aspen in 2004. The former couple have three children. (Wire Image House)
Kevin Costner and Jewel sparked dating rumors earlier this year. (Getty Images)
“The Howard Stern Show This month, Costner spoke further about their relationship, admitting that they’ve never really “dated.”
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“I heard the rumors,” the radio host said, to which Kevin responded, “No, Jewel and I are friends. We’ve never gone out. She’s someone special… I don’t want to ruin our friendship with these rumors because that’s what our friendship is.” She is a special person to meShe is beautiful enough to go on a date with.”
“How does that shit get started? Kevin, how do you do that?” Stern asked.
“we [Richard] “It’s Branson’s island. She has a foundation, which I didn’t know about, and she was part of the foundation. Richard Branson had been asking me to come to Necker Island for years, so here I was, finally,” Costner said. “I got divorced out of nowhere. I’m a single father, and he’s been asking me to come there for 10 years. I said, ‘I have to go.’
To celebrate the fundraising event, Jewel shared a group photo on her Instagram that included Kevin Costner. (Jewel/Instagram)
He added: “I was on a plane with nine people. Jewel was one of them. Emma Watson was one of them. She’s the one who Emma and I had a great conversation with. Rumor has it, I went on a private jet with her and I came back on a private jet with her.”
“I was with Nine and I don’t want the press to ruin it because I’ve had text conversations with her and she’s very intelligent and has been through a lot herself and we’re just friends. We’re not in a romantic relationship and we’re not dating.”
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Now that “Yellowstone” is officially off his personal schedule, Costner will likely have more free time. When asked why he decided to leave the hit series, Costner’s answer was simple.
“Because there are too many questions remaining, so now is the time for me to step down,” he told Fox News Digital.
Last week, the Oscar winner announced she was leaving The Taylor Sheridan Show for good after months of speculation surrounding her role on the show.
“Hey everyone, after working hard on Horizon for the last year and a half, doing all that was necessary, and thinking about my beloved show Yellowstone that I love and that I know you all love, I want to let you know that I have realized that I will not be able to continue beyond season 5,” he said on Instagram.
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“It was a film that truly changed me. I loved it and I think you all loved it too. I just wanted to let you know that I won’t be coming back. The relationships we’ve built are great. See you at the cinema.”
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But the real love of his life these days is his passion project, Horizon: An American Saga. In addition to starring in the feature film, Costner also directed Horizon, based on a script he co-wrote with Jon Baird. The ensemble cast includes a long list of stars, including Sienna Miller, Sam Worthington, Luke Wilson, Abbey Lee, Jena Malone, Giovanni Ribisi, and Costner’s 15-year-old son, Hayes.
Costner acknowledged that working with Hayes on set, who was cast as Nathaniel Kittridge, was special in many ways.
“That he went through it, that he went through it well, that he listened, that he worried, that he cared… I’m so glad that he’s going to carry that with him for the rest of his life,” Costner told Fox News Digital. “I never forced my kids to do this, and this may be his only attempt at it, but he’s unforgettable, and for me, he’s never been forgotten.”
WATCH: Kevin Costner talks about working with his son in ‘Horizon’
The Costner-directed western hits theaters on June 28. Part 2 will be released just 49 days later on August 16. Tickets are on sale now.
Costner, through his deal with Fox Nation, is set to announce a new project for the platform in 2025 and previously hosted “Yellowstone: One-Fifty,” a series exploring the origins of the national park.
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