Kevin Costner has often spoken warmly about his now ex-wife, Christine Baumgartner, so news of their divorce after 19 years took many by surprise—including Costner himself.

Sources close to the couple revealed that Christine, who filed for divorce, had reportedly warned Costner that she would leave if he continued to spend extended periods away from home due to work commitments.

Costner’s absence reportedly took a toll on Baumgartner, who wanted him to be more present with their family in Santa Barbara. «During filming, Kevin isn’t around much, and that’s been really tough for Christine,» a source shared. Although Costner knew Christine was unhappy, her decision to file for divorce still came as a shock.

«Christine didn’t want him diving into another project, but he became deeply involved in filming Horizon last year, and she wasn’t pleased,» said a source close to the situation. Another insider commented that Costner’s career often took priority over his family life, which created tension at home.

Christine cited “irreconcilable differences” in her filing. Costner’s representative issued a statement, saying, «It is with great sadness that circumstances beyond Mr. Costner’s control have led to this dissolution of marriage.» The statement also asked for privacy for both Costner and Baumgartner, as well as their children, during this challenging time.

Baumgartner sought $161,000 a month in child support for their three children—Cayden Wyatt, 15; Hayes Logan, 14; and Grace Avery, 13. In pursuit of this, she took the matter to court. However, Costner prevailed in court, with a judge reducing her child support to $63,000 per month—significantly less than the $161,000 she initially requested. Costner expressed that there were «no winners» in the difficult process, despite his supporters viewing the ruling as a victory.

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