‘Never Thought I’d See the Day’: Kevin Costner Drops First Photo Dump After Cozy Moment with Nia Long Following Ex-Wife’s Engagement Bombshell

American actor Kevin Costner’s personal life has been the talk of the internet in recent weeks.

The 70-year-old Academy Award-winning actor and director has been the center of online gossip about his divorce from designer Christine Baumgartner and his recent close encounter with “The Best Man” actress Nia Long.

And Costner seems to be taking advantage of all the social media attention.

Kevin Costner’s spruced-up look days after sparking dating rumors with Nia Long leads to his first online photo dump. (Photo by Gerald Matzka Exclusives/Getty Images)

“I hear they call this a photo dump. It’s been a wild couple of weeks,” Costner wrote on Instagram on Feb. 20.

And Costner seems to be focusing his social media attention on the various showbiz and sports events he has attended in 2025.

The “Yellowstone” star’s post featured various photos and footage from the industry and sports events he’s attended so far this year. He can be seen in images taken at the Super Bowl LIX on Feb. 9, and the “Saturday Night Live” 50th Anniversary Special on Feb. 16.

His nine-slide carousel also included separate pictures with fellow Oscar winner Quentin Tarantino and “SNL” alum Pete Davidson.

Three of Costner’s children were photographed with him at the Santa Barbara International Film Festival’s screening for their father’s “Horizon: An American Saga – Chapter 2″ film.

“Bravo bravo bravo! Love this photo dump, especially because you’re surrounded by your kids and people that love you!” one fan commented on Costner’s Instagram page.

A second person declared, “Never thought I’d see the day that Kevin Costner posted a photo dump.” Some replied, “Isn’t it the greatest thing to watch him?”

Instagram users also offered general praise for the “Dances with Wolves” filmmaker. For instance, one comment read, “Mr. Costner, you are such a fascinating man.”

Another supporter stated, “I’m convinced this man knows how fine he is. Lol.”

Before Costner’s photo dump excited his followers, the former California State University, Fullerton student found his name in headlines involving his ex-wife.

The “Bodyguard” star wed Baumgartner, 50, in September 2004 at his 160-acre ranch in Aspen. Baumgartner gave birth to three of Costner’s youngest children, Cayden, 17, Hayes, 16, and Grace, 14.

The former couple nearly separated after six years of marriage but were able to persevere until finally splitting for good after 19 years of marriage.

Baumgartner filed for divorce on May 1, 2023. They eventually settled their divorce proceedings in September of that year after legal fights over a prenuptial agreement.

Following the official dissolution of her marriage to Costner, Baumgartner got engaged to financier Josh Connor in January 2025.

“Christine and Josh’s relationship started as a friendship, so they have a really strong foundation,” an unnamed supposed told People. “They share the same values, and she feels so happy and supported in this new relationship. They’re so in love.”

Baumgartner’s engagement to Connor led to uncorroborated reports suggesting Costner is considering amending child support payments to his ex-wife for Cayden, Hayes, and Grace. 

Costner currently pays Baumgartner $63,209 per month in child support for their three children. He also covers the children’s school and medical costs.

“It is entirely Kevin’s choice if he wants to live in the past. Christine is solely focused on her future and happiness for her kids, Josh, and, for the first time in a long time, herself,” an insider close to Baumgartner supposedly said to RadarOnline.

Meanwhile, Costner had sections of the internet wondering if he had moved on from Baumgartner by hooking up with a new woman. A photograph of Costner and Long together sparked romance speculation.

Long, 54, uploaded the black-and-white shot with Costner from Chris Rock’s 60th birthday party to her Instagram page on Feb. 17. She captioned the picture, “The only Kevin I know,” and added a red heart emoji.

Previously, Long dated former Boston Celtics head coach Ime Udoka from 2010 to 2022. The relationship apparently ended after Udoka reportedly cheated with a female member of the Celtics staff.

“The outpouring of love and support from family, friends and the community during this difficult time means so much to me,” Long’s representative told TMZ in 2022. The acting veteran has a son, 13-year-old Kez, with Udoka.

Still independent.

We hope this story was worth your time. For over 14 years, Atlanta Black Star has stayed Black-owned and independently run. We didn't get here by waiting on ad budgets that were never built to prioritize us. Our readers did that.

Corporate support for Black media has always been thin. Outlets like ours get roughly 1% of the $170 billion spent on U.S. advertising each year, and that margin is shrinking further as advertisers walk back the DEI-linked commitments they made in 2020. That's the backdrop. It's not why we're asking.

The wider picture isn't any steadier. Newspaper ad revenue has fallen more than 80% since 2005, and local newsrooms are closing at a rate of roughly two a week nationwide. When outlets go under, it's rarely the ones built to center a Black perspective from the ground up that get to stick around.

We know a request for support isn't why you came here. But without readers choosing to fund this work directly, the depth of reporting we can do at home and abroad shrinks along with everyone else's. If you're not in a position to give, that doesn't change how much we value you as a reader.

If you are able to, a recurring contribution does more for us than a single one-time gift, because it lets us plan the next investigation instead of just the next invoice. It takes about 30 seconds, no long form, no account. Thank you for continuing to support independent journalism and freedom of the press.

Back to top