Kevin Costner’s Work Schedule Caused ‘Tension’ With His Wife — Why They Divorced

It’s over. Yellowstone frontrunner Kevin Costner and his wife of 18 years are parting ways for good. Why are Kevin Costner and Christine Baumgartner divorcing? Keep reading to learn everything we know about their breakup.

In Yellowstone, Costner stars as John Dutton on Paramount’s hit Western series created by Taylor Sheridan, a role he assumed when the first season debuted in 2018. Yellowstone continues to perform extremely well on TV and streaming platforms; it was named the most-watched show on TV for 2022 and the most-watched cable premiere since The Walking Dead in 2017, according to Deadline.

Despite the show’s success, the actor’s been engulfed with Yellowstone drama recently, and some sites are reporting that Season 5 will be his last. Our sister publication Deadline first reported in February 2023 that the issue stemmed from conflicts with Costner’s filming schedule, which has allegedly impacted the second batch of episodes in the show’s current fifth season. (Costner is busy directing and starring in the Western “epic” Horizon, a four-part feature film spearheaded by Warner Bros. and New Line Cinema.) A source told Deadline that Costner “only wanted to spend a week shooting.” The actor’s lawyer, Marty Singer, fired back and told Puck.News that “the idea that Kevin was only willing to work one week on the second half of Season 5 of Yellowstone is an absolute lie.”

Meanwhile, filming for Season 5, Part 2, of Yellowstone has reportedly not begun. In April 2023, the Yellowstone cast who attended PaleyFest confirmed that the second half of season 5 “has not yet started filming and they have not been given a start date,” according to Variety. There are even rumors that part two could be scrapped altogether, especially after Paramount execs confirmed that Matthew McConaughey will be the lead in a new Yellowstone extension series, where some of the cast is expected to move over.

While Costner’s fate on Yellowstone is unknown, what we do know is that in his personal life, he and his wife have chosen to end their marriage. See why Kevin Costner and Christine Baumgartner are divorcing, below.

Why are Kevin Costner and Christine Baumgartner divorcing?

Why are Kevin Costner and Christine Baumgartner divorcing? Kevin Costner wife, fashion designer Christine Baumgartner, filed for divorce from Costner on Monday, May 1, in Santa Barbara, California, according to documents obtained by Us Weekly.

The couple didn’t provide a specific reason for their breakup, but Costner’s representative did give a statement to People Magazine with a vague explanation. “It is with great sadness that circumstances beyond his control have transpired which have resulted in Mr. Costner having to participate in a dissolution of marriage action,” the statement read. “We ask that his, Christine’s, and their children’s privacy be respected as they navigate this difficult time.”

People reported on May 8, 2023, that Costner’s busy work schedule was “hard” on his wife. A family source told the magazine that Costner “knew” his wife Christine was unhappy and the divorce came as an “unpleasant surprise.” “Christine wants them to spend family time at their Santa Barbara home,” the source told People. “During filming, Kevin is not around very much. His absence has been very hard for her.” The insider also added that his wife did not want Costner to throw himself into another project.

Costner is currently busy directing and starring in the Western “epic” Horizon, a four-part feature film picked up by Warner Bros. and New Line Cinema. Horizon has a demanding shooting schedule of 220 days, which could be contributing to the actor’s tight schedule. Costner told Variety last year that it could take eight months to shoot the multi-film project. The first part started shooting in the fall of 2022, while filming for the subsequent three films will take place in April 2023 “with the trio of titles shooting at the same time.” The source said that Costner been obsessed with filming Horizon and Christine “wasn’t happy about it.”

Meanwhile, a separate entertainment source told People that “at times, his career has taken precedence over his home life.” “Kevin hasn’t been home very much for quite some time due to filming, the popularity of Yellowstone, and the time necessary for his other projects. He has been in demand,” the entertainment source added.

The pair first met on a golf course while Costner was rehearsing for the 1996 film, Tin Cup, and they reconnected a few years later in 1998 at a restaurant. “We exchanged numbers, and I told her that I would — did she mind if I called her in two weeks. I did not realize that was like an insult to a woman,” Costner told People in 2003. They dated for several years but broke up in 2002 because Kevin didn’t want anymore children, which was a deal-breaker for Christine. “Finally, there came a moment where, maybe this doesn’t go forward,” Costner said before he decided “I’m not going to lose her because I’m afraid,” he revealed to People.

Kevin already had three children from his previous marriage of 16 years to Cindy Silva from 1978 to 1994, and his son Liam from his former relationship with Bridget Rooney. The actor opened up about the struggles of his first divorce to The Hollywood Reporter in 2012. “My faith was shaken,” he told our sister site. “No one wants their marriage to end, and it did. You are going to see the people you love most, your children, only half as much. That’s a huge loss.” According to Forbes, Costner reportedly had to pay Silva a hefty settlement of $80 million.

Costner and Baumgartner were engaged in 2003 and married in 2004 at Costner’s 165-acre ranch near Aspen, Colorado. They had three children together: Sons Cayden (age 15) and Hayes (age 14) and their daughter Grace (age 12). In recent years, Costner had nothing but good things to say about his wife. He gave an interview with People in June 2020 during the pandemic and spoke about how their relationship has only strengthened. “Our partnership has really come into focus about what we do for each other and how we deal with our family,” he said, adding: “I’m so thankful for Christine as a partner. Because they would look at me… and I wouldn’t be that guy. And I want to be that guy for the people that love me.”

You can watch Yellowstone on the Paramount Network, which is available to stream on services including Fubo TV, Philo TV, and Hulu+ With Live TV. The first four seasons of Yellowstone are also available to stream on Peacock.

What are the Yellowstone cast salaries? Check out our gallery below to see how much each actor makes per episode of Yellowstone!