Kevin Costner chose to bid farewell to 2025 in the serene surroundings of Aspen, Colorado, finding peace away from the Hollywood frenzy and the media spotlight. This picturesque locale, which he fondly calls home, offered a perfect retreat. Just before the New Year, Costner shared a heartwarming video of his Labrador, Bobby, frolicking through snow-draped mountains, capturing the pristine beauty of the area. Later, the Oscar-winning actor, known for his rugged charm, was seen out on the town with his daughter Lily and friends, exuding a sense of ease in his casual attire. “Aspen is where Kevin is happiest,” a source confided to Us Weekly.

This respite was much needed after a tumultuous year. In October, The Hollywood Reporter published a harsh critique titled “How Kevin Lost Hollywood,” spotlighting Costner’s recent professional hurdles—most notably the underwhelming performance of his ambitious Horizon film series and his abrupt exit from Yellowstone in 2024. The report also detailed a fiery altercation between Costner, now 71, and Yellowstone co-star Wes Bentley, which reportedly escalated to a shouting match and temporarily halted production.

Entering 2026, Costner is striving to find his footing once more. “This has been a period of significant change for Kevin,” a second source revealed, highlighting the introspective phase he has entered following his 2024 divorce from Christine Baumgartner, his wife of 18 years. Baumgartner, who wed financier Josh Connor in October, shares three children with Costner—Cayden, 18, Hayes, 16, and Grace, 15. Costner is also father to Annie, 41, Lily, 39, Joe, 37, and Liam, 29, from previous relationships. Currently, he is involved in several projects and has been casually seeing writer Kelly Noonan Gores since last summer. “Kevin is on a journey of discovery, trying to map out his next moves,” the source added. A third insider noted, “He’s telling his close friends that 2026 will be his year of redemption.”

Costner’s bold ventures haven’t quite yielded the expected rewards recently. He invested $38 million of his own funds into Horizon, even mortgaging his Santa Barbara beach house, yet the film failed to break even. As a result, three planned sequels are currently in limbo. “Naturally, he was let down by Horizon‘s performance,” mentioned a fourth source, emphasizing Costner’s dedication. Despite the setbacks, Costner remains optimistic about the project’s potential. However, the future of the sequels appears uncertain. Legal troubles also continue to shadow the project; while one lawsuit over costume fees was settled in July, another emerged in December, compounded by a stuntwoman’s allegations of an unscripted rape scene. Costner has vehemently denied these claims, calling them “patently false” and damaging to his reputation.

Costner’s involvement in Yellowstone brought both star power and tension. According to The Hollywood Reporter, Costner’s insistence on improvisation during a scene with Bentley led to their heated confrontation. “They were nose-to-nose, shoving and exchanging heated words until they were pulled apart,” the publication reported. Bentley’s representative confirmed the incident to THR, describing it as a “work-related argument during an emotionally charged scene,” which was later “discussed and resolved.” Costner’s team chose not to comment on the matter.

“When production was shut down, the crew breathed a sigh of relief,” the third source tells Us, “and when Kevin left the show, everyone was like, ‘Thank God.’” (During his 2023 divorce court proceedings, Costner offered his take on what went wrong, saying, “We tried to negotiate, they offered me less money than previous seasons [and] there were issues with the creative.”) Says the fourth source: “It’s a misconception that Kevin was forced out of Yellowstone or that he was the loser in that situation. He was happy to move on.”

Taking the good with the bad. Kevin Costner has garnered critical acclaim as both an actor and a director, but he’s faced his fair share of personal hardships. During a July 1995 interview with the Seattle Times, the Postman star opened up about his 1994 divorce from Cindy Silva after 16 years of marriage. At […]

There’s no question he’s passionate about his work. His perfectionism helped him get to the top — but it can also rub people the wrong way on sets. “Kevin’s ego is on overdrive. He’s charming one minute and snapping the next,” says the third source. “Working with him can come with challenges,” adds the second source. “The atmosphere on [the Yellowstone] set had become exhausting and volatile.” The first source says that while Costner has long had a reputation for being “driven and difficult,” it hasn’t scared people off. “I’d never heard of people saying they wouldn’t work with him.”

The third source tells Us the bad press has been eating away at him. “Kevin was devastated and furious [after reading the THR story]. He cares way more than he lets on.” The first source insists the veteran star knows how to tune criticism out. “I don’t think the THR piece would have a huge impact on Kevin. He’s taken so many hits through the years, and he doesn’t engage with the press or pay attention to it, really.”

It’s a good time for a reset. “The Hollywood sentiment toward Kevin is changing and is kind of in a polite decline mode,” says the third source. “There are insurance considerations about too many issues on set. No one’s blackballing him, but the phone has stopped ringing for leading-man money.”

In November, Variety reported he’s in talks to play former President Bill Clinton in a political drama series called United, produced by Leonardo DiCaprio. The source says opportunities will continue to come his way — if he keeps his expectations realistic. “He is iconic. He’s Kevin Costner and you can’t take his legacy away from him, but he has to adjust what he thinks he deserves to be paid.”

He’s ready for a comeback, professionally and financially. “Kevin definitely needs to work,” says the third source, noting that the failure of Horizon hit him hard, as did his pricey divorce. (He’s estimated to be worth $250 million.) “Kevin has a lot of expenses and has spent a lot of his money. He’s expressed that he does not have the money people think he has,” notes the second source. “He’s eager to be back out in Hollywood doing the work he’s known for.”

Kevin Costner has been entangled in legal drama after being sued by a stuntwoman from the Horizon sequel. Devyn LaBella joined the Horizon sequel as the lead stunt double for Ella Hunt, who played Juliette. In May 2025, LaBella accused Costner of sexual discrimination, harassment and creating a “hostile work environment” while on set of […]

Costner shared his love of filmmaking with Us at Art of Elysium’s 2025 Heaven Gala in November, saying, “I think storytelling can be healing. It can be informative. It can remind us of who we think we’d like to be. You see great heroism on the screen, sometimes even in the smallest way, and when we see it, we recognize it and think to ourselves, ‘I need to be like that.’ We see things in movies that we wish we would have said — which we still can.” The second source says he’s focused on choosing “passion projects” which “remind him why he fell in love with storytelling in the first place.”

Things are looking promising in his personal life. He and Noonan met through mutual friends. “It’s very private and casual,” says the second source of their relationship. “After such a public and expensive divorce, he’s being cautious. They see each other when schedules allow, often spending time at his Santa Barbara estate. They love dinners at home, walks on the beach and quiet nights in.” The third source says Noonan is a “grounding” force for Costner, adding, “he’s not looking for a serious relationship or marriage any time soon.” Last June, he told Extra he was open to finding love again. “People are supposed to be together,” he said. “I’m sure that could happen for me.”

He’s on better terms with Baumgartner. “He’s happy for her, and he’s trying to keep things positive for the kids’ sake,” says the third source. (The second source tells Us the actor has “moved on,” but “part of him remains resentful of the situation and wishes they could have made it work. It stings that she remarried, but he tries not focus on it.”)

His seven kids remain at the center of his life. During his November chat with Us, he talked about his plans to make the holidays extra special for them. “When they were younger, there were things that were more repetitive. Now you’re just fighting to get them home from college; I do the best I can to make it as warm as I can. I’m a bachelor, so I miss those really cute things to do, so I have to work especially hard to make sure there’s stuff that they’ll think about and remember.”

Kevin Costner has welcomed seven children with three partners over the years. The California native started dating Cindy Silva in 1975 while they attended California State University, Fullerton. The pair tied the knot three years later and went on to welcome three little ones — Annie, Lily and Joe — born in 1984, 1986 and […]

It’s already been a productive 2026. “Kevin has a lot in the works,” says the second source. “He knows he’ll have a comeback but would never call it that. He loves big ideas, risk and proving people wrong.” Last March, Costner told local Utah paper St. George News that his Territory Studios had completed the first phase of building a $100 million film studio and soundstage near the city. He still has his band, Kevin Costner & Modern West, and will likely continue hosting and producing various documentary projects, like the docuseries Yellowstone to Yosemite and The West he worked on last year.

In October, Page Six reported that Costner was shopping a TV series about diving for sunken treasure. The topic isn’t totally out of the blue: In a 2019 video, the actor had revealed he’d partnered with diver and marine archaeologist Alex Mirabel on a nautical project. “Kevin and Alex have worked together for many years. They share a love and appreciation for history and underwater exploration,” shares a fifth source. “Kevin is very passionate about this, and I think people would be amazed at some of the projects he has worked on.”

If anyone knows how to ride the waves of fame, it’s Costner. “Kevin’s been in the business for decades, and is realistic about the highs and lows,” says the fourth source. “He’s lived through it all before. And he will always bet on himself — that’s one thing that won’t change.”

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