Kevin Costner and Christine Baumgartner are separating.
Baumgarten, 49, has filed for divorce, PEOPLE has confirmed.
In a statement to PEOPLE, Costner’s representative said, “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.”
“We ask that his, Christine’s, and their children’s privacy be respected as they navigate this difficult time,” the rep added.
TMZ was the first to report the news.
In November, Costner spoke fondly of his wife, telling PEOPLE, “My wife does things that just completely… It just helps. The house is prettier because of her. Everything is warmer because of her. There’s these little things that she does and I think it’s the power of love, but that she makes her home that way.”
The pair wed in September 2004 and have three children together, sons Cayden, 15, and Hayes, 14, plus daughter Grace, 12. Costner, 68, also has four older children from previous relationships, daughters Annie and Lily and sons Joe and Liam.
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Baumgartner was upfront with Costner about wanting to start a family. Costner revealed to Extra that on day one of their relationship, Baumgartner told him, “If you’re going to be with me, you need to know that kids are at the end of the road for me with you, if that’s going to happen.”
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The pair dated for six years before Baumgartner gave Costner an ultimatum. “Finally, there came a moment where, maybe this doesn’t go forward,” Costner said before he decided “I’m not going to lose her because I’m afraid.”
The actor had nothing but praise for his wife when talking to PEOPLE about their relationship during the pandemic, saying, “Our partnership has really come into focus about what we do for each other and how we deal with our family.”
“Our house is like a river: You’ve just got to get into the flow of it,” he added. “And whatever you thought it was going to be, maybe it still can, but it’s going to have to work with what the day brings.”
This is Costner’s second marriage after his 16-year marriage to Cindy Silva, which ended in divorce in 1994.
The Field of Dreams actor has starred in Yellowstone for five seasons as the powerful Montana patriarch John Dutton, but rumors began to swirl in February that he might exit the Paramount series to focus on directing and starring in an upcoming Western film Horizon.
Yellowstone was expected to return with new episodes in summer 2023, but production has not resumed for the second half of season 5.
Paramount’s Keith Cox, president of development and production, remained optimistic that Costner would return during a panel at PaleyFest last month.
“What I can say is our star, the face of our show and the executive producer, are very confident he’s going to continue with our show,” Cox said.
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