Kevin Costner Is DEVASTATED Over Ex-Wife’s New Marriage!
One year after one of Hollywood’s most publicized and bitter divorces, both Kevin Costner and Christine Baumgartner have found themselves walking very different paths — but their stories remain deeply intertwined. Over the weekend, Baumgartner married Josh Connor, the man long rumored to have been the catalyst for her split from Costner. The emotional event has reignited public fascination with the former couple’s fractured past — and comes just as Costner himself seems to have found renewed peace, and possibly love, in a new relationship.
A Santa Barbara Wedding Steeped in Symbolism
Set against the rolling hills of California’s Santa Ynez Valley, Christine Baumgartner and Josh Connor’s wedding was as intimate as it was symbolic. The ceremony took place at the Santa Ynez Ranch, a private vineyard located just miles from Baumgartner’s childhood home — a deliberate choice that friends say represented “coming full circle.”
The event was attended by around 100 guests, including the couple’s children and a few close family friends. “It wasn’t about extravagance,” one attendee shared. “It was about authenticity, joy, and finally letting go of the pain from the past year.”
Baumgartner, 50, wore a breathtaking custom Mira Zwillinger gown, adorned with hand-embroidered floral appliqués and a soft sweetheart neckline. Later in the evening, she changed into a sleek satin Leehod strapless gown with a thigh-high slit — a nod to her effortless elegance and California-cool sensibility. Her new husband, Josh Connor, 49, looked equally refined in a classic black tuxedo.
The celebration stretched across the weekend, beginning with a candlelit welcome dinner on Friday and ending with a joyous late-night dance under twinkling string lights on Saturday. “It was magical,” said one insider. “There was laughter, music, and a feeling that everyone was witnessing something precious — a new beginning after so much pain.”
From Rumor to Reality: The Connor Connection
The newly minted Mr. and Mrs. Connor’s relationship has been anything but ordinary. When Christine Baumgartner filed for divorce from Kevin Costner in February 2024, speculation swirled around her friendship with Connor — a longtime family acquaintance who had often been photographed vacationing with the couple.
In the months that followed, tabloids suggested that Baumgartner’s growing closeness to Connor had been the “final straw” for Costner, sparking tension that led to their highly publicized split. Both parties denied the affair at the time, but their connection was undeniable.
Now, with their wedding vows exchanged, those rumors have effectively become history. “Christine and Josh aren’t interested in revisiting the past,” a source close to the bride said. “They’re focused on the present — building a grounded, peaceful life together.”
Friends describe Connor as “steady, low-key, and kind,” someone who has been a “calming presence” in Christine’s life during her post-divorce transition. “He’s her safe place,” one confidant revealed. “After everything she went through, she needed someone who could bring her stability.”
Kevin Costner’s Quiet New Beginning
While his ex-wife’s wedding made headlines, Kevin Costner appears to be embracing a quieter, more introspective chapter of his life. The Yellowstone star, 70, has reportedly entered a new relationship with Kelly Noonan Gores, a filmmaker and best-selling author best known for her documentary and book Heal.
Insiders close to the actor describe the relationship as “easy, natural, and nurturing.” Gores, 46, shares many of Costner’s passions — from surfing and horseback riding to hiking and outdoor adventures. “They speak the same emotional language,” a friend explained. “She’s grounded, creative, and doesn’t play games. After everything Kevin endured, that’s exactly what he needed.”
Gores is also a mother, and Costner, who has seven children of his own, reportedly finds her devotion to family life deeply appealing. “He thinks it’s adorable,” another source said. “He loves that she’s such a hands-on parent.”
Still, Costner is said to be proceeding with caution. After his emotionally and financially draining divorce, he’s keeping the relationship low-key. “He’s happy but careful,” a friend told People. “He was bruised by the last year — not just by the public scrutiny, but by how personal everything became.”
A Divorce That Shook Hollywood
The Costner-Baumgartner split was one of 2024’s most sensational celebrity breakups — a legal and emotional battle that played out both in court and the press. Baumgartner filed for divorce after 18 years of marriage, citing “irreconcilable differences,” and what followed was a months-long war over child support, property, and Costner’s sprawling $145 million beachfront estate in Carpinteria, California.
In a rare victory for the actor, the court ultimately ruled that Costner would pay $63,209 per month in child support, significantly lower than the $248,000 Baumgartner had initially requested. The judge also ordered her to vacate the Carpinteria estate — a property she reportedly resisted leaving until compelled by court order.
The divorce left deep scars on both sides. Costner was said to have been “deeply hurt” by how public the proceedings became, while Baumgartner reportedly struggled with the transition from luxury to independence. Yet, as of late 2025, both appear to have found a sense of peace — and perhaps even closure.
Two Lives, Two Very Different Futures
Despite the pain of the past, sources close to both Costner and Baumgartner emphasize that time has softened the tension between them. “They’re not close, but they’re civil,” one insider shared. “Kevin just wants her to be happy, for their kids’ sake. He’s not bitter anymore — just relieved that the storm has passed.”
For Baumgartner, her new marriage represents not just love, but reinvention. Friends describe her as “radiant,” saying the wedding felt like “a second chance at life.”
For Costner, the journey is more reflective. Between his thriving film career — including his upcoming Horizon project — and his new relationship, he seems determined to focus on creativity, family, and peace. “He’s in a good place,” a source confirmed. “He hasn’t looked this happy in years.”
The End of One Era, the Start of Another
In the end, the Costner-Baumgartner saga has come full circle — from public heartbreak to private healing. Christine’s wedding to Josh Connor may close the final chapter of her marriage to Kevin, but it also symbolizes something much larger: the resilience of two people determined to start over, even after the world watched them fall apart.
While the wounds of their divorce may never fully fade, both seem to have emerged stronger — proof that sometimes, even Hollywood’s most painful love stories can find peace in the final act.
And as one guest from Christine’s wedding poignantly remarked, “It wasn’t about erasing the past. It was about honoring it — and finally moving on.”