Who Is Kevin Costner’s Ex-Wife? All About Christine Baumgartner

The 18-year marriage of Kevin Costner and Christine Baumgartner is over.

She filed for divorce from Yellowstone star, citing “irreconcilable differences,” on May 1, 2023. After a contentious legal battle, they divorced in September of that year.

Baumgartner is currently dating financier Josh Connor. He is a longtime friend and former neighbor of the now divorced couple.

Here’s everything you need to know about Kevin Costner’s ex-wife, Christine Baumgartner.

She is a handbag designer

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Baumgartner designs handbags under the label Cat Bag Couture, which are available in boutiques.

She explained Denver Post In 2005, her journey to becoming a handbag designer began. “When I got some samples, I showed them to Kevin, and he said they were beautiful and amazing,” she recalled. “He told me I should take the next step and he would help me. I’ve always loved fashion and style, and if you can mix that with functionality, it’s perfect.”

She met Costner while he was filming A tin cup

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Costner was still married to his first wife, Cindy Silva, when he first met Baumgartner. The two crossed paths on the golf course where Costner was practicing for his 1996 romantic comedy. A tin cup.

After Costner and Silva divorced in 1994, he briefly dated and fathered a child with Bridget Rooney. In 1998, after breaking up with Rooney, Costner ran into Baumgartner at a restaurant and the two began dating soon after.

She married Costner in 2004

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Baumgartner’s wedding to Costner in 2004 was a storybook story. The ceremony took place at Costner’s 160-acre ranch, The Dunbar, in Aspen. The actor arrived in a horse-drawn carriage, while Baumgartner came to the ceremony in a green vintage truck, PEOPLE reported.

Dunbar, named after Costner Dances with Wolves character, is still owned by Costner and is now available as a private wedding venue.

She lived with Costner in Santa Barbara

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Despite having strong roots in Colorado, where Costner owns a 160-acre ranch, Baumgartner lived with Costner and their children in Santa Barbara, California during their marriage.

After Baumgartner filed for divorce in May 2023, TMZ reported that she did not want to leave the home she shared with Costner. This was despite the 30-day deadline specified in their prenuptial agreement and the actor’s offer to give her $10,000 to cover moving expenses and another $30,000 a month to rent the house.

In July 2023, a judge ordered Baumgartner to leave Costner’s California estate by the end of the month. The judge also prohibited her from removing “items of property including but not limited to furniture, fixtures, appliances and art.”

A source told PEOPLE that Costner was “relieved” after hearing the verdict. A few weeks later, moving trucks were seen leaving the $145 million Santa Barbara home.

Shortly after, another source reported that Baumgartner was “happy” to be out of the house. “Christine is hoping there will be less drama now,” an insider told PEOPLE.

She almost broke up with Costner after six years together

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Despite the nearly 20-year age difference, Baumgartner has been open with Costner about wanting to start a family. Costner revealed Extra that on the first day of their relationship, Baumgartner told him, “If you’re going to be with me, you have to know that the kids are at the end of the road for me with you, if that’s going to happen.”

The couple dated for six years before Baumgartner gave Costner an ultimatum. “It finally came to a point where, maybe this doesn’t go any further,” Costner said, before deciding “I’m not going to lose her because I’m afraid.”

She has three children with Costner

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Three years after marrying Costner, Baumgartner gave birth to a son, Cayden Wyatt, followed by a son, Hayes Logan, and a daughter, Grace Avery. The family walked the red carpet to support Costner The art of racing in the rain premiere in 2019

Baumgartner is also stepmother to Costner’s children from previous relationships: Liam, whose mother is Rooney, and Joe, Lily and Annie from his marriage to Silva.

She filed for divorce from Costner in May 2023

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After 18 years together, Baumgartner and Costner revealed they had gone their separate ways after the mother of three filed for divorce on May 1, 2023.

“It is with great sadness that circumstances beyond his control occurred that resulted in Mr. Costner having to participate in the divorce,” Costner’s rep said in a statement to PEOPLE. “We ask that his, Christine’s and their children’s privacy be respected as they go through this difficult time.”

Costner filed his response a day later, seeking joint custody of the couple’s children.

“It was nothing [Costner] wanted or asked, and if he could change the situation, he would,” a source told PEOPLE just days after the divorce was made public.

Since filing for divorce, Baumgartner has decided to contest the couple’s prenup. By doing so, he may have to forfeit his $1.5 million divorce settlement.

Costner then demanded that Baumgartner pay him $99,225 in legal fees. The former couple’s prenuptial agreement states that if either party hires counsel to “enforce or prevent a breach” of the agreement, “the prevailing party … shall be entitled … to be reimbursed by the non-prevailing party for all costs and expenses incurred thereby.”

Baumgartner’s lawyers later asked the court to deny Costner’s request, calling it “unreasonable.”

They eventually divorced in September, and Costner’s rep said in a joint statement from the former couple, “Kevin and Christine Costner have reached an amicable and mutually agreeable resolution of all matters relating to their divorce proceedings.”

She demanded that Costner pay $248,000 a month in child support

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In June 2023, it was revealed that Baumgartner was seeking $248,000 a month in child support for all three of the couple’s children. Costner originally proposed paying $38,000 a month in child support, along with “100% of certain child-related expenses,” including private school tuition and health insurance.

In the filing, Baumgartner stated that this figure is “less than the amount needed to maintain the children in their normal lifestyle.”

Shortly after filing, a source told PEOPLE that Costner “wants to keep as much as he can” amid the divorce.

In July 2023, a judge ordered Costner to pay $129,755 a month in child support for the foreseeable future. The following month, Baumgartner sought $175,057 a month in child support, according to court documents obtained by PEOPLE.

During a two-day child support hearing in September 2023, Costner was ordered to pay Baumgartner $63,209 a month, effectively settling the matter.

Costner believes she “planned her exit” long before filing for divorce

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Costner and his team believe Baumgartner was planning to quit Yellowstone actor long before she filed for divorce. Months before the couple split, she allegedly took cash advances on credit cards issued to her staff and bought a new vehicle.

“For months before the separation, although the parties always rented their cars, without [Costner’s] knowledge or consent, [Christine] bought an expensive vehicle for personal use (probably because [prenuptial agreement] allowing her to take that vehicle with her),” the court filing said. “So it appears that [Christine] planned her date long before she said [Costner] in April 2023.”

She is dating financier Josh Connor

Baumgartner has a new girlfriend, financier Josh Connor. The pair were spotted together for the first time in Hawaii – just two months after the mother-of-three filed for divorce from Costner.

“Josh was just a friend at first,” a close friend of Baumgartner told PEOPLE. “She loves hanging out with him. He’s a divorced dad and understands what she’s going through.”

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