Making it official. Kevin Costner’s estranged wife, Christine Baumgartner, was spotted without her wedding ring shortly after filing for divorce.
The designer, 49, was seen in Los Angeles on Wednesday, May 3, without any jewelry on her left ring finger, according to photos obtained by the Daily Mail. Baumgartner kept it casual for the solo outing in a sweater, denim jacket and white pants.
Earlier in the week, Baumgartner filed for divorce from Costner, 68, after nearly 19 years of marriage. Us Weekly confirmed on Tuesday, May 2, that the California native submitted the paperwork one day prior, citing irreconcilable differences as the reason for the split.
According to the court documents, Baumgartner stated the couple separated on April 11. The Yellowstone actor, for his part, filed his response on Tuesday and also listed irreconcilable differences as the cause of the divorce.
Costner’s filing noted that he and Baumgartner signed a prenuptial agreement before tying the knot in 2004. The duo requested joint custody of their three kids: Cayden, 15, Logan, 14, and Grace, 12. (The Dances With Wolves actor also shares daughters Annie, 39, and Lily, 36, and son Joe, 35, with ex-wife Cindy Silva and son Liam, 27, with ex Bridget Rooney.)
“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,” a rep for the Emmy winner said in a statement on Tuesday. “We ask that his, Christine’s and their children’s privacy be respected as they navigate this difficult time.”
Costner and Baumgartner originally met in the early ’90s but it took the pair years before their connection blossomed into something more. One year before their nuptials, the twosome briefly called it quits.
“Fear kept me from marrying Christine. [She] wanted a child, but I was afraid I couldn’t be an effective father,” the director recalled to Closer Weekly in June 2018. “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.”
Costner reflected on how family changed his perspective on life at the time, adding, “Movies are magic, and they’ve always been magic to me. You get to play heroes in the movies, but there’s a moment in time where you’re just a father and you get to go home. I have played two roles in my life, one I get paid to do, which is the movies, and the other one is being a father, for which I’ll be rewarded my whole life.”
Ahead of their breakup, the filmmaker also shared what he considered to be the secret to a successful marriage. “I know that sounds so simple. If you’re willing to tell somebody that you love them, are you also willing to say you’re sorry? You need to, even when you think you’re in the right,” he told Parade in May 2012.
The shakeup in Costner’s personal life comes amid rumors about his future on Paramount Network’s Yellowstone. In February, speculation surfaced about how a potential spinoff series led by Matthew McConaughey would replace Yellowstone due to alleged scheduling disagreements with Costner.
In response, the network denied the report but later announced a series with McConaughey, 53, at the helm. Costner’s lawyer Marty Singer, meanwhile, shut down claims that his client was involved with production issues.
“The idea that Kevin was only willing to work one week on the second half of season 5 of Yellowstone is an absolute lie,” the attorney said in a statement, referring to rumors about season 5 delays. “It’s ridiculous — and anyone suggesting it shouldn’t be believed for one second. As everyone who knows anything about Kevin is well aware, he is incredibly passionate about the show and has always gone way above and beyond to ensure its success.”
