Kevin Costner and wife Christine Baumgartner crossed paths back in the ‘80s, but it wasn’t until 1998 that the two finally started to take on the road together and give love a shot. And that was all it took for them to realize that they were each other’s soulmates. And for the Yellowstone actor, it was more than just that. After all, he had gone through a messy love life before he met her.
Twenty-three years and three kids later, the couple is still having the best time of their lives in each other’s arms. Let’s take a look back at their love story.
First Chapter: Got A Long List of A-List Ex-Lovers
When Kevin Costner landed his breakout movie The Untouchables in 1987, his image became that of a sex symbol. At the time, Costner was married to his co-star and college sweetheart Cindy Silva. The two started dating after they met at California State University in Fullerton. In an interview with People magazine in 1989, Costner said that Cindy represented everything about women that he liked. They tied the knot in 1978 after a long courtship and had three beautiful children named Annie, Lily, and Joe.
But the fame and success that Costner gained came with a lot of temptation. By the time he finally got his career-exploding role with the 1990 blockbuster Dance with the Wolves, his marriage was already on the rocks. Rumors of infidelity intensified and went wild, and as much as the couple tried, their 16-year relationship was already beyond saving. They eventually announced their amicable divorce, with Silva receiving an $80 million settlement.
After that, Costner welcomed himself back into the bachelor game with a vengeance. He went on a dating spree, getting involved with the likes of Naomi Campbell, Courtney Cox, Elle MacPherson, Halle Berry, and Michelle Pfeiffer. As he said before, he lived a life following someone else’s rules, and now he’s doing the things he didn’t get to do before. In 1996, he welcomed his fourth son Liam after his brief affair with Bridget Rooney.
Two years later, he crossed paths again with someone that he met way before fame and success found him. And this time, it was a love bound to settle for the rest of his life.
Second Chapter: The Ultimate Lover
Kevin Costner first met Christine Baumgartner back in the ‘80s in a golf course where the actor was rehearsing for his role in the movie Tin Cup. No sparks flew back then as Costner was still happily married to Silva at the time. But when they crossed paths again in 1998 at a Hollywood restaurant, Costner asked Christine for her number and told her he would call in two weeks.
And he did, even though he wasn’t prepared to be in love again at that point.
But when they finally started dating, Costner felt like the broken pieces of his life were suddenly mending themselves back together. And the couple became inseparable until 2002, when they hit a bump in the road. Costner shared that he suddenly had cold feet. Their 20-year age gap and the fact that she wanted children scared him, thinking he wouldn’t be a good father to their children. Christine, who is now Kevin Costner’s wife, simply told him that she was going to wait for him (but not for long) to come back to her when his senses finally came back to him.
And again, he did. He realized that he didn’t want to lose someone who was willing to be with him until his very last breath just because he was afraid to say yes to a child.
Who is Kevin Costner’s wife, Christine Baumgartner?
Kevin Costner’s wife Christine Baumgartner was born on March 4, 1974, in Los Angeles, California. She is American and belongs to a mixed German and Swiss ethnicity. Coincidentally, she also attended the same university as Costner, where she earned a degree in Business.
When they first met, a decade before they started dating, Christine was pursuing professional modeling. But after years in the industry, she was finally able to make a name for herself as the owner of Cat Bag Couture, a line of stylish carrier bags. Some of her daytime purses made an appearance in the pilot episode of Desperate Housewives in 2005. But aside from being a model, a business owner, and a regular red carpet companion to Costner, Christine also took on some screen time, featuring in Primetime, Biography, Die Johannes B. Kerner Show, Inside Edition, Entertainment Tonight, and Extra.
Third Chapter: Now It’s Forever and Always
The couple finally got engaged in 2003. And a year later, they tied the knot on a Saturday in Costner’s 165-acre Colorado ranch located just outside Aspen in front of 300 guests. The bride came in a vintage green pickup truck while the groom entered in a covered wagon. And as they vowed to love each other till death do they part, Costner proceeded to give Christine a new and large diamond ring – larger than her first vintage engagement ring, which Joan Rivers dissed during the Golden Globes.
Kevin Costner and wife Christine Baumgartner spent the first three years of their wedded life with each other. And in 2007, they finally welcomed their first son Cayden who was then followed by Hayes and Grace. The two are still very much in love and happy together.
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Christine Baumgartner, Kevin Costner