Kevin Costner Calls Divorce a ‘Crushing Moment’ But Vows to Stay Strong For His Kids
Kevin Costner is moving forward after his painful divorce from Christine Baumgartner.
During an interview on CBS Mornings, Costner described the experience as a “crushing moment” that was powerful and hurtful. When host Gayle King asked about how he is coping, Costner said, “But I go forward. I have no choice — my children are looking at me.” He emphasized the need to stay strong for his kids, adding, “So I can’t wilt like a daisy, I have to go forward. I have to continue to be who I am and keep a special eye on who they are.”
Costner and Baumgartner started dating in 1998 and married in 2004. Christine, 50, filed for divorce on May 2023, after 18 years of marriage, citing their separation date as 11th April 2023. They have three children: Cayden, 16, Hayes, 15, and Grace, 14. Their marriage was officially terminated in February when Christine’s lawyers requested that a Santa Barbara court excuse both parties from completing a mandated co-parenting course.
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The couple had previously agreed to joint custody of their children and settled their divorce in September 2023. A representative for Costner told PEOPLE at the time that they had “come to an amicable and mutually agreed upon resolution of all issues about their divorce proceedings.”
In a recent conversation with PEOPLE, Costner spoke about navigating life post-divorce, saying, “You just do it. You just keep talking, you keep coaching [the kids], you keep interested in what they’re interested in … I had to.”
Before marrying Christine, Costner was married to Cindy Silva for 16 years, with whom he shares three adult children. After their divorce in 1994, he briefly dated Bridget Rooney and shares a 27-year-old son, Liam, with her.
Reflecting on the possibility of finding love again, Costner told PEOPLE, “Yeah, I think everybody would like to be in love. There’s such a good feeling that’s associated with that. It may have to be defined in a different way. But yeah, I love the idea of that possibility.”
–Farheen Ali
