Kevin Costner is desperately “fighting” to keep his children together for the holidays. This comes one year after his bitter divorce from their mother Christine Baumgartner, who he was married to for 18 years before they split.
Costner Fights For His Children
Costner, 70, and Baumgartner, 51, are parents to three children: Cayden, 18, Hayes, 16, and Grace, 15. The former Dances With Wolves star is also father to four older children from previous relationships. Indeed, he shares Annie, 41, Lily, 39, and Joe, 37, with ex-wife Cindy Silva. Costner is additionally father to a son Liam, 28, with former girlfriend Bridget Rooney.
Now that Costner is a “bachelor” again for the first time in decades, he’s focused on making the holidays extra special for his kids.
“I think when they were younger, there were things that were more repetitive. Now you’re just fighting to get them home from college or fight … You know what I mean, just getting together,” Costner told Us Weekly.
“So, I do the best I can to make it as warm as I can,” he added.
Costner went on to admit that he misses the holiday traditions that his family previously had.
“And I’m a bachelor, so I kind of miss those, like, really cute things to do, you know, so I have to work especially hard to make sure there’s that stuff that they think about and remember,” he lamented.
Costner Admits Holidays Can Be ‘Hard’
This comes after Costner took to Instagram on Wednesday to open up about how “hard” the holidays can be. He discussed this in the caption alongside a new music video with his band, Kevin Costner & Modern West.
“We released ‘Find Your Way’ a year ago, and the heart behind this song rings even more true for us now than ever before,” Costner wrote. “Though it’s supposed to be the happiest time of year, I know all too well how hard the holidays can be for a lot of us.”
“Missing loved ones we’ve lost, finding it hard to be joyful when your world feels heavy, maybe even facing tragic loss while the world around you is celebrating,” he concluded. “If you’re feeling closer to the darkness than the light this year, this song is our prayer for you. Every step is a test of faith. May you always find your way.”
Check out the music video for yourself below.
Costner’s Divorce – Ex-Wife Remarries
Baumgartner filed for divorce on May 1, 2023, citing “irreconcilable differences” at the time. A bitter divorce battle ensued over custody of their children and money, even though Costner and Baumgartner had signed a prenuptial agreement at the time of their marriage in 2004.
After a grueling nine month battle in court, their divorce was finalized in February of 2024. By then, Baumgartner was already dating Costner’s former friend and neighbor Josh Connor, 51. They became engaged in January of this year and married last month.
Needless to say, this was a hard pill for Costner to swallow, given how close he’d been to Connor.
“Kevin’s true friends immediately cut off Christine and Josh and would never attend their wedding, even if invited,” an insider told Daily Mail back in June. “Their loyalty to Kevin is solid.”
This has clearly been a very difficult time for Costner in his personal life. Please join us in saying a prayer for him as he enters would could be a difficult holiday season.
God bless you, Kevin Costner!