Kevin Costner gave a coy response when asked about ex-wife Christine Baumgartner’s romance with former neighbor Josh Connor.
“I don’t have a next-door neighbor,” Costner, 69, told a photographer on Thursday, January 25, when asked if he had any thoughts on Baumgartner, 49, dating his “neighbor,” according to footage obtained by Entertainment Tonight. While the paparazzo attempted to reframe the question, Costner declined to respond further.
Multiple outlets reported earlier this month that Baumgartner had moved on with Connor after her divorce from Costner was finalized. While Costner had “strong suspicions that something was going on between” his ex and former neighbor, an insider previously told Us Weekly exclusively that the pair’s relationship didn’t turn romantic until “relatively recently.”
The insider told Us that Baumgartner isn’t concerned with Costner’s hunches, as her ex-husband doesn’t have “anything to complain about” considering he has been linked to Jewel since December 2023. “Josh has been Christine’s rock throughout the divorce ordeal,” the source continued. “If Kevin has a problem with that, that’s on him.”
Baumgartner filed for divorce from Costner in May 2023 after nearly 19 years of marriage, citing irreconcilable differences as the reason for the split. The twosome, who share sons Cayden, 16, and Hayes, 14, and daughter Grace, 13, engaged in a lengthy and messy legal battle over issues like assets and child support before finalizing their divorce in September 2023. (Costner also shares daughters Annie, 39, and Lily, 37, and son Joe, 35, with ex-wife Cindy Silva and son Liam, 27, with ex Bridget Rooney.)
During their time in court, Costner claimed that Baumgartner was potentially unfaithful during their marriage. “Respondent has no responsive documents for ‘extramarital romantic relationships’ in which he engaged because he engaged in none,” court documents obtained by Us read in August 2023. Costner’s attorneys also noted that the Yellowstone star “does not know for a fact if [Christine] engaged in any ‘extramarital romantic relationships’ before separation and, if so, whether she spent any of his money or charged any expenses in furtherance of her affair(s) on credit cards he paid.”
Baumgartner and Connor were spotted in Hawaii the following month, but she denied that the duo were anything more than friends at the time. She also confirmed that Connor had loaned her $20,000, claiming half was given to her mother and she returned the other $10,000 to Connor, according to TMZ.
As for Costner, a second source told Us last month that the actor and Jewel, 49, have been quietly dating for some time after forming a friendship. “Kevin and Jewel had an extremely high opinion of each other and have always gotten along great,” the insider shared. “They check a lot of boxes for each other.”
The pair, who were recently spotted in Necker Island in the British Virgin Islands together, bonded over their shared love of music before “organically” taking things to the next level — but aren’t putting any “pressure or expectation” on the relationship.
“He’s really into his [band, Modern West], and singing, and she’s very much a part of that country-and-western world,” the source explained. “Some of their mutual friends joke how it’s surprising they didn’t get together years ago.”
