Hollywood actor Kevin Costner and wife Christine Baumgartner call it quits after 17 years of marriage

Hollywood actor Kevin Costner and his wife, Christine Baumgartner, have called it quit after almost 17 years of marriage.

Baumgartner, 49, has filed for divorce, citing irreconcilable differences. The couple has three children together: Cayden, 15, Hayes, 14, and Grace, 12. Costner, who is 68 years old, has four other children from previous relationships.

In a statement to the media, Costner’s representative confirmed the split, saying, “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.” The representative also asked that the couple and their children’s privacy be respected as they navigate this difficult time.

The news was first reported by TMZ. In November 2022, Costner spoke fondly of his wife, saying, “My wife does things that just completely… It just helps. The house is prettier because of her. Everything is warmer because of her. There’s these little things that she does and I think it’s the power of love, but that she makes her home that way.”

Costner and Baumgartner tied the knot in September 2004, after dating for six years. Baumgartner was upfront with Costner about wanting to start a family, and the couple welcomed their first child together in 2007.

In an interview with Extra, Costner revealed that Baumgartner gave him an ultimatum before they got married, saying, “If you’re going to be with me, you need to know that kids are at the end of the road for me with you, if that’s going to happen.”

This is Costner’s second marriage, after his 16-year marriage to Cindy Silva ended in divorce in 1994. Costner has been keeping busy with his role in the popular television series “Yellowstone,” where he plays Montana patriarch John Dutton. Rumors began to swirl earlier this year that Costner might be leaving the show to focus on directing and starring in an upcoming Western film, “Horizon.”

While it’s unclear whether Costner will continue with “Yellowstone,” Paramount’s Keith Cox, president of development and production, said during a panel at PaleyFest last month that he’s “very confident” Costner will return to the show. The second half of season 5, which was expected to return with new episodes in the summer of 2023, has not yet resumed production.

Last April, it was confirmed that McConaughey would be a part of the Yellowstone franchise in a new spinoff.

Despite the challenges posed by the pandemic, Costner has been optimistic about his relationship with Baumgartner.

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In an interview last year, he said, “Our partnership has really come into focus about what we do for each other and how we deal with our family.” He added, “Our house is like a river: You’ve just got to get into the flow of it. And whatever you thought it was going to be, maybe it still can, but it’s going to have to work with what the day brings.”