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According to a report by People on January 29, Yellowstone actor Kevin Costner's former wife, Christine Baumgartner—a handbag designer—reportedly got engaged to Costner's former friend and neighbor Josh Connor, on January 26 in Santa Barbara.
As per Daily Mail, Josh Connor is a financier, and he pursued his bachelor's degree in Economics from Williams College, Williamtown, Massachusetts. Connor is the managing director and co-portfolio manager of American asset management firm Oaktree Capital's infrastructure investing strategy. He is also on the boards of directors of Frontier Airlines and Copa Holdings.
According to the Daily Mail, Connor finalized his divorce from his ex-wife Patricia in January 2023, while Baumgartner and Kevin Costner divorced in February 2024.
Kevin Costner and Christine Baumgartner: Relationship timeline
According to the Daily Mail, Kevin Costner met his second wife, Christine Baumgartner, in 1996 while filming for his movie Tin Cup. Before that, he was married to Cindy Silva for 16 years, and they separated in 1994.
Costner and Baumgartner started dating in 1998 and got married in 2004 in Aspen, Colorado. The couple has three children: Grace, Hayes, and Cayden.
The actor told Closer Weekly in 2018 that they went through a rough patch before their marriage, as Baumgartner wanted children but he didn't, because he had four children from previous relationships. He shared,
"I woke up and thought, 'Am I going to lose a beautiful woman who is willing to be with me to my very last breath because I am afraid to say yes to a child?' That's all it took. Sometimes you learn the thing you're most afraid of will save your life."
Baumgartner filed for divorce in May 2023, ending their 18-year marriage. According to the Daily Mail, their divorce was finalized in February 2024 after a long legal battle over custody, assets, and alimony. Baumgartner initially demanded $175,057 per month but settled for $63,209.
In January 2024, a source close to the couple told US Weekly that Costner strongly suspected his ex-wife was involved with his friend and neighbor Josh Connor.
"Kevin had strong suspicions that something was going on between Christine and Josh. Their close [bond] was a real elephant in the room."
However, the source further claimed that Josh was Christine's "rock." They said,
"Christine doesn’t think Kevin has anything to complain about. Josh has been Christine’s rock throughout the divorce ordeal. If Kevin has a problem with that, that’s on him."
In June 2024, Kevin Costner appeared on CBS Mornings with host Gayle King to promote his movie Horizon. He then shared how the divorce was a "crushing moment" for him, but he would move on for the sake of his children.
"That's a crushing moment. It's powerful, it hurt. But I go forward, I have no choice. My children are looking at me, so I can't wilt like a daisy. I have to go forward; I have to continue to be who I am and to keep a special eye on who they are."
According to the Daily Mail, Josh Connor and designer Christine Baumgartner started their relationship as a friendship. Then, it turned romantic as Connor supported her during her long legal battle with her ex-husband, Kevin Costner.
