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Just months after his ex-wife Christine Baumgartner married his former friend Josh Connor, Kevin Costner finds himself in the heart of an equally startling tale.
The actor has become one of Hollywood’s newest eligible bachelors and consistently stirs up romance gossip whenever he is seen with a new companion.
Yet behind the headlines, friends say Costner isn’t chasing attention or trying to prove anything. Instead, the Oscar winner remains something far less expected: a romantic who still believes love is worth the risk.
Kevin Costner’s Dating Life Keeps Fueling New Romance Rumors
For someone supposedly taking things slow, Kevin Costner has managed to keep the rumor mills running. Earlier this month, the 71-year-old was spotted with lifestyle coach Jennifer Milburn in Santa Barbara.
Witnesses said the couple was “extremely affectionate” as they loaded a cart full of groceries with steak, veggies, cereal and grapefruit juice.
The sighting came just weeks after the “Field of Dreams” star was linked to lifestyle influencer McKenna Wesley who was first seen with him at a screening of his movie in Arizona.
Those names are just the latest in a long line of others who have been linked to the star, including Sharon Stone, Jewel, Jennifer Lopez, Kelly Noonan Gores, January Jones and Brooks Nader.
Despite what the tabloids may say, a source close to the “Yellowstone” star says the man’s love life has been blown way out of proportion.
“He has dated a lot of women since his divorce,” the insider told the Daily Mail, adding that Costner is “not into trophy girlfriends in their 20s like a lot of Hollywood men his age are.”
Friends say he’s more of an old-fashioned gentleman who enjoys meeting people, but isn’t in a rush to label anything.
Costner’s Painful Split Changed The Way He Looks At Relationships
The attention surrounding Kevin Costner’s dating life stems largely from how public and emotional his divorce became.
For years, he and Christine Baumgartner appeared to have built the kind of Hollywood marriage that could survive anything. They shared three children, a sprawling California home, and more than two decades together.
Then came the divorce filing in 2023 – a protracted and very public spat over finances, child support and property.
Court documents revealed a string of private standoffs, and both parties found themselves under a microscope from the media.
Friends say the split hit Costner particularly hard because it came out of the blue.
Costner’s professional life has also seen a dramatic shift: after helping turn “Yellowstone” into one of television’s hottest properties, he left the series in 2024 – citing scheduling conflicts and creative disagreements.
By the time the divorce was finalized, his personal and professional worlds have both entered uncharted territory.
Kevin Costner Still Believes The Right Person Could Change Everything
Perhaps the most surprising part of Costner’s story isn’t the women he’s been linked to. It’s the fact that he hasn’t given up.
According to those closest to him, the Hollywood star sees things differently. “He’s always out looking for love,” one source explained.
The insider added that Costner remains convinced that the next relationship could be different from the ones that came before. According to them, “He still believes in romance.”
That belief is why friends aren’t shocked to see him continue dating, even after everything he’s been through.
“So, dating around and seeing if he can find someone that he can have a spark with is always appealing,” the source revealed, further noting, “He’s having fun dating, but he would get married again.”
Costner’s Ex-Wife Embraces New Life After Finding Love Again
While friends say Kevin Costner still believes the right woman could eventually lead him back down the aisle, his former wife has already entered a very different chapter.
Less than two years after finalizing her highly publicized divorce from the actor, Christine Baumgartner officially remarried financier Josh Connor in an intimate ceremony at Santa Ynez Ranch in Santa Barbara.
It was mentioned that the couple tied the knot on October 18, 2025, at a private vineyard near where Baumgartner grew up.
Approximately 100 relatives and friends attended the outdoor evening wedding, in addition to children from both sides of the couple’s blended families.
Guests described the event as deeply personal rather than extravagant. One attendee told PEOPLE, “It was magical-truly. The setting was gorgeous, but what made it special was the intimacy of it all. This wasn’t a big production. It was authentic, heartfelt, and so very them.”
Kevin Costner And Christine Baumgartner Reunite For Son’s Volleyball Tournament
As Baumgartner settled into married life with Connor, she and Costner were recently forced back into the same place for a much more familiar reason: supporting one of their children.
The Blast reported that the exes attended their son Hayes’ beach volleyball tournament in Santa Barbara, California, which saw photographers capture them watching from the sidelines.
While standing side-by-side for almost the whole event, Costner and Baumgartner appeared to be at a distance and weren’t seen interacting. According to the report, both were instead looking at the competition rather than each other.
Costner stuck to his usual California-casual dress as he wore a white T-shirt and pants, flip-flops and sunglasses.
Baumgartner was more laid-back in her outfit, wearing a green T-shirt with loose white jeans and a green baseball cap.
It was one of the few times that the former spouses have been photographed together at an event since their divorce in February 2024.
