Friends Take Sides in Costner’s Split, Boycott Baumgartner’s Wedding

Less than two years after they finalized their bitter divorce, Hollywood star Kevin Costner’s ex-wife Christine Baumgartner is set to walk down the aisle again… only, this time, to the Yellowstone actor’s once-close friend.

It was previously reported that Baumgartner, 51, will marry her financier fiancé Josh Connor, also 51, in a low-key ceremony in Hawaii with only close family and friends in attendance.

Now, a source close to the Oscar winner has revealed to the Daily Mail that the former couple’s friends have since taken sides following their split.

‘Kevin’s true friends immediately cut off Christine and Josh and would never attend their wedding, even if invited,’ the insider said.

‘Their loyalty to Kevin is solid.’

The 70-year-old actor and the former model turned handbag designer called it quits in May 2023 after 18 years of marriage and three children together. They officially finalized their divorce in February last year, with Baumgartner receiving a whopping $63,000-a-month child support payment.

Kevin Costner, 70, and Christine Baumgartner, 51, finalized their divorce in February 2024 after 18 years of marriage

The Oscar winner and the former model were married in 2004 and share three children together. She filed for divorce in May 2023

Now, Baumgartner is planning to tie the knot with fiancé Josh Connor in a low-key ceremony in Hawaii, where the couple were seen vacationing in July 2023 (pictured)

Looking back, the source explained that Costner has since ‘come to terms’ with their divorce and ‘understands where things went wrong’ with Baumgartner.

As news of their divorce made headlines, there was much speculation that his busy schedule filming Yellowstone was the reason for their split. 

A source previously claimed that Baumgartner hated how much the Western drama series dragged him away from home, and Costner shocked fans when he announced his sudden departure from the Paramount show in June 2024.

‘He has no regrets about his rise to fame, or about the time it takes to maintain his career. His success gave him everything he has today,’ they said.

‘Despite everything, Kevin is grateful to Christine for giving him his greatest gift, their kids, who know exactly who their father is.’

Their children – sons Cayden, 18, and Hayes, 16, and daughter Grace, 15 – proved the main point of contention between the former couple during their divorce proceedings. 

Costner also shares three adult children – Annie, 41, Lily, 38, and Joe, 37 – with his ex-wife Cindy Silva and son Liam, 28, with former partner Bridget Rooney.

While Costner and Baumgartner agreed on joint custody, they battled over how much she should be paid in child support.

Costner and Baumgartner share sons Cayden, 18, and Hayes, 16, and daughter Grace, 15

The former couple were pictured arriving to court in Santa Barbara, California, in August 2023 amid a bitter legal battle

She had hoped to be awarded $165,000-a-month child support payments and pointed to the family’s lavish $11 million-a-year lifestyle to justify the eye-watering sum.

According to Baumgartner, that included a 160,000-acre ranch in Colorado and Costner’s sprawling beachfront estate in Carpinteria, which, she said, meant she needed to rent a property for $100,000-a-month in order to provide a ‘comparable’ lifestyle for her children.

But her arguments failed to impress Judge Thomas Anderle, who slashed her payments to $63,000-a-month, down from a temporary $129,000.

Weeks later, Baumgartner and Costner settled their divorce, although details of the agreement remain confidential.

Still, the amount was more than enough to maintain appearances in the ritzy enclave of Santa Barbara, California.

‘In the end, Christine walked away with much less than she expected, receiving a $1.6 million settlement and reduced child support,’ the source added.

‘Kevin is just happy that she has found someone who can support her expensive lifestyle because she wouldn’t be able to afford this wedding on her own.’

These days, she spends most of her time at her $3.5 million rental home in Montecito, where Baumgartner is frequently spotted out and about with her now-fiancé – and flashing her massive engagement ring worth an estimated $50,000.

Baumgartner and Connor’s relationship was confirmed in January 2024 and their engagement was announced in January this year. They are pictured in Montecito in July 2024

The former handbag designer got engaged to financier Connor, 49, on January 26, on what she thought was just a regular date in Santa Barbara. Connor is a fellow divorcee and has three children from his marriage 

The couple are planning a small wedding ceremony at the Four Seasons Hualalai Resort in Hawaii, a source previously told the Daily Mail

Connor, a managing director and co-portfolio manager, had been a long-time friend and neighbor of Baumgartner and Costner. 

In fact, documents showed that Costner does not know whether Baumgartner was faithful to him during their marriage. 

In a legal request for order obtained by People, Costner and his team responded to Baumgartner’s request of any ‘expenses paid by you, or any person at your request or on your behalf, relating to any extramarital romantic relationships.’

In response, Costner said he ‘does not know for a fact’ if Baumgartner engaged in any ‘extramarital romantic relationships’ before their separation and dismissed her request as ‘not relevant to the subject matter’.

In January 2024, the Daily Mail revealed that Baumgartner and Connor were dating, and just one year later, he popped the question.

Unlike her over-the-top, star-studded 2004 wedding ceremony with Costner, Baumgartner’s wedding to Connor – a fellow divorcee with three children from his marriage – will be a more intimate celebration of love with family and close friends.

Last month, an inside source revealed to the Daily Mail that the festivities will take place at Baumgartner’s ‘favorite place,’ the Four Seasons Hualalai Resort in Hawaii.

‘They both love the water, the beach, watching the sunset. A sunset wedding is a possibility,’ another source said at the time.

As for Costner, his ex-wife’s upcoming nuptials have seemingly caused him no concern, as he’s been romantically linked to a number of women since their divorce.

Costner (seen in May 2025) has been romantically linked to a number of women since his divorce, including country singer Jewel

In May, Costner was photographed in Raspoutine night club in West Hollywood talking to mystery woman and even buying her drinks. Onlookers told the Daily Mail the pair were touchy and ‘having a good time’ 

In May, he was caught cozying up to a young brunette in the trendy Raspoutine Night Club in West Hollywood, California. He reportedly chatted with the mystery lady for nearly an hour and bought her drinks before they went their separate ways.

Costner’s also been romantically linked to country singer Jewel, after they were seen hanging out on Richard Branson’s Necker Island during a fundraiser for Jewel’s Inspiring Children Foundation in November 2023.

However, the actor later debunked the romance rumors while appearing on SiriusXM’s The Howard Stern Show last June.

‘Jewel and I are friends. We’ve never gone out ever,’ Costner said.

‘She’s special, and I don’t want – I don’t want these rumors to ruin our friendship because that’s what we have. She’s special to me. She’s beautiful enough to go out with.’

The Daily Mail has contacted representatives for Costner for comment.