Kevin Costner announces divorce from wife of 19 years Christine Baumgartner
3 May 2023, 08:30 | Updated: 3 May 2023, 08:34
Actor Kevin Costner and his wife of 19 years, Christine Baumgartner, confirmed their split on Tuesday as divorce proceedings got underway.
Best known for his starring roles in Yellowstone and Dances with Wolves, the news marks the end of the 68-year-old actor and director's second marriage, following his divorce from first wife Cindy Silva in November 1994.
Mr Costner and Ms Baumgartner first met in 1998 and later married at the actor's Colorado ranch in 2004.
The pair are now seeking joint custody of their three children aged 12, 14 and 15, with legal papers citing unspecified 'irreconcilable differences'.
Costner's publicist Arnold Robinson said in a statement: "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."
The pair are believed to have signed a detailed pre-nuptial agreement, after Costner's first marriage cost the actor an estimated $80 million.
Costner, a two-time Academy Award winner, was previously married to childhood sweetheart Ms Silva 16 years, after first meeting as students at California State University and later eloping in 1978.
The first marriage fostered three children, with the actor also fathering a son following a brief relationship with Bridget Rooney in 1996.
The actor's first marriage ended amid reports of an affair with a hula dancer in Hawaii while filming multi-million dollar flop Waterworld.
It's reported Ms Baumgartner is not seeking spousal support as part of divorce proceedings, with costs instead “payable to petitioner pursuant to the terms of the parties’ Premarital Agreement” as per a filing by Mr Costner’s attorney.
Gaining widespread praise for his latest role in neo-Western drama Yellowstone in recent years, the actor picked up a Golden Globe for Best Actor in a Television Series Drama in January 2023.
Entering its fifth series, the show has spawned multiple spin-off series, as reports continue to suggest that friction between Costner and showrunner Taylor Sheridan could mark the end of its run.
