Kevin Costner’s marriage to Christine Baumgartner was one of Hollywood’s quieter success stories—until it suddenly wasn’t. After nearly two decades of marriage, three children, and a life filled with red carpets and quiet family moments in Santa Barbara, Christine filed for divorce from the Yellowstone actor on May 1, 2023, citing “irreconcilable differences.” What followed was a deeply public and messy legal battle, ending with the couple officially finalizing their divorce in February 2024.
But in the months following the split, one question began to dominate public curiosity: Who did Kevin Costner’s wife leave him for?
The answer is now clear. Christine Baumgartner is currently engaged to financier Josh Connor, a man who was once a close friend and neighbor to both her and Costner.
The timeline of their relationship—and the circumstances surrounding the divorce—has led many to speculate whether Christine’s new romance played a role in the breakdown of her marriage.
From Model and Handbag Designer to Hollywood Wife
Christine Baumgartner, a former model turned handbag designer, first met Costner in the 1990s on a golf course while he was filming Tin Cup. At the time, Costner was still married to his first wife, Cindy Silva. Years later, after his split from Silva and a brief relationship with Bridget Rooney, Costner and Christine reconnected in 1998. Their romance took off from there.
Baumgartner and Costner tied the knot in 2004 in a storybook wedding on his sprawling 160-acre Aspen ranch, known as The Dunbar. Together, they welcomed three children: sons Cayden Wyatt and Hayes Logan, and daughter Grace Avery. During their marriage, the family lived in Santa Barbara, California, while also maintaining deep ties to Colorado.
But despite their seemingly idyllic family life, the couple’s relationship wasn’t without challenges. Costner once revealed that Christine gave him an ultimatum about starting a family. Though nearly 20 years her senior, Costner eventually decided he didn’t want to lose her and embraced fatherhood once again.
Trouble in Paradise: The Divorce Filing
In May 2023, Christine shocked the public when she filed for divorce, citing irreconcilable differences. The announcement was met with a statement from Costner’s camp, indicating that the split was not his choice. “It is with great sadness that circumstances beyond his control have transpired,” the statement read, implying Christine had initiated the separation.
The divorce quickly turned contentious. Christine reportedly refused to move out of the Santa Barbara home despite their prenuptial agreement requiring her to vacate within 30 days.
Costner even offered her $10,000 to assist with moving expenses and an additional $30,000 per month for a rental. Eventually, a judge ordered her to leave the property by the end of July 2023, forbidding her from removing certain household items.
Court filings later revealed that Costner’s team suspected Christine had been planning her exit well before filing. She allegedly made large credit card purchases, including buying a vehicle outright—something the couple never did before—and took advances on credit cards issued to household staff. This only deepened the speculation that she had someone new waiting in the wings.
Enter Josh Connor: Friend Turned Fiancé
Not long after Christine moved out, she was spotted vacationing in Hawaii with Josh Connor in July 2023—just two months after filing for divorce.
At the time, their connection raised eyebrows, given that Connor had been a friend and neighbor of both Christine and Kevin during their marriage. The two had reportedly known each other for years, but things took a romantic turn after Christine’s split from Costner.
By late 2023, their relationship was more than a rebound. A source close to Baumgartner told PEOPLE that her romance with Josh was built on a strong foundation of friendship and trust.
“Christine and Josh’s relationship started as a friendship, so they have a really strong foundation,” the source said. “They share the same values, and she feels so happy and supported in this new relationship. They’re so in love.”
Then came the big moment. In January 2025, just months after settling her divorce, Josh Connor proposed to Christine on a quiet beach in Santa Barbara.
“It was about to rain, so almost no one else was on the beach when Josh got down on one knee,” another source shared. “They are both over the moon and excited for their future together.”
Was Josh Connor the Reason for the Divorce?
While Christine and Josh didn’t go public with their relationship until after the divorce filing, Kevin Costner’s legal team believes she may have emotionally moved on long before. Given the claims about her financial decisions leading up to the split—buying a new car, taking advances, and allegedly violating the terms of their prenup—Costner’s lawyers suggested that Christine had been planning her exit months in advance.
However, there has been no public evidence that Christine and Josh were romantically involved before the divorce. Their transition from longtime friends to romantic partners seems to have happened organically once her marriage was over.
Still, the speed with which Christine entered a new relationship—and the depth of her bond with someone from their shared social circle—undoubtedly stung for Costner.
Whether Josh Connor was a catalyst for the divorce or simply the next chapter in Christine’s life, the optics added another layer of drama to an already headline-making split.
Legal Battles and Financial Tensions
Christine’s decision to challenge the couple’s prenuptial agreement was another major source of tension. By doing so, she risked forfeiting a $1.5 million divorce settlement. Costner’s legal team then requested she pay $99,225 in legal fees, citing a clause in their prenup. Christine’s attorneys pushed back, calling the request “unreasonable.”
She also made headlines for initially requesting $248,000 per month in child support for their three children. After several hearings and negotiations, a judge ultimately ordered Costner to pay $63,209 per month—much lower than Christine’s initial demand.
Despite all the back-and-forth, the couple eventually reached an amicable resolution. In September 2023, a joint statement confirmed that they had resolved “all issues pertaining to their divorce proceedings.” Their marriage was officially dissolved on February 16, 2024.
Life After Kevin: Christine’s Fresh Start
Today, Christine Baumgartner appears to be in a much different place—personally and emotionally. Her engagement to Josh Connor marks a fresh chapter in her life, one that seems to be focused on stability, companionship, and happiness after a long and emotionally taxing divorce.
While Kevin Costner remains relatively private about his personal life post-divorce, Christine’s public love story with Josh suggests she has moved on with confidence.
Whether their romance had roots before the split or blossomed only afterward, it’s clear that Christine found the kind of support and connection she needed in her new partner.
