‘Yellowstone’ star Kevin Costner breaks his silence on shocking split from wife

The Wild West drama Yellowstone has been a hotbed of controversy lately, but it seems the show’s leading man, Kevin Costner, is dealing with a whole different kind of drama in his personal life.

After almost two decades of marriage, the iconic actor and his stylish wife, Christine Baumgartner, are splitting up.

According to People, Baumgartner filed for divorce on Monday, May 1, sending shockwaves through their devoted fan base.

“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,” Costner’s representative said in a statement.

“We ask that his, Christine’s, and their children’s privacy be respected as they navigate this difficult time.”

The 68-year-old actor and the 49-year-old former model turned handbag designer, started their romantic journey in 1998.

After six years of courtship, they sealed their love with a stunning wedding ceremony at Costner’s Colorado ranch in 2004.

Together, they have three children – a 12-year-old daughter and two sons aged 14 and 15. Kevin also has four adult children from his previous relationships.

 

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The news of Costner’s divorce comes as rumours swirl about Costner’s future on the popular series Yellowstone.

Fans have been eagerly anticipating the promised second half of the show’s fifth season, which was initially slated to air this summer. However, with recent reports that filming for the remaining episodes has not yet commenced, the fate of the season’s release remains unclear.

Back in February, reports surfaced suggesting that Kevin Costner was responsible for the delay in filming the second half of Yellowstone‘s fifth season, following disagreements about the schedule.

There were talks that Costner would not return to the show at all and would be replaced by Matthew McConaughey.

While it has since been confirmed that McConaughey will feature in a spin-off series, there is still no concrete information about the future of Costner’s character, John Dutton. Fans of the show have been left in the dark, eagerly awaiting news about what’s next for the beloved patriarch of the Dutton family.

Prior to Costner’s alleged departure, the show’s creator Taylor Sheridan had previously hinted that the show’s latest season might finally be the season a member of the Dutton family gets killed off.

“If you look at everyone as a chess piece in [Yellowstone] season five, it is impossible to keep playing the game without taking chess pieces off the board,” he said.