Costner Denies He’s Dating Jewel After Romance Rumors

Veteran actor Kevin Costner addressed the persistent rumors about his reported romance with singer-songwriter Jewel. 

After a high-profile divorce from his wife Christine Baumgartner, Costner, 69, has set the record straight about the nature of his relationship with Jewel, 50, whose full name is Jewel Kilcher. The two sparked rumors of a relationship when pictures surfaced in December 2023, showing Costner, 68, wrapped his arms around Jewel.

Costner revealed that he and Jewel have never dated. “Jewel and I are friends,” Costner explained on The Howard Stern Show. “We’ve never gone out, ever. She’s fantastic, she’s special, and I don’t want these rumors to ruin our friendship because that’s what we have. She’s special… She’s everything you might think, but it just hasn’t happened.”

The actor believed the gossip about their relationship gained traction due to the timing of his divorce and stated that people were eager to “hook up two celebrities together” as a good story. Costner also noted that Emma Watson was present when he and Jewel were spotted together on Necker Island, further proof that their interactions were purely platonic.

“I’ve had conversations with her text-wise, and she’s so smart, and she’s been through a lot herself, and so we have a friendship,” Costner said. “We don’t have a romance, and we’ve not dated. She’s beautiful and smart enough for all those things — it just has never happened for us.”

Jewel addressed the rumors in a May interview with People when the singer declined to “answer questions about the actor” but still mentioned Costner’s name when she spoke about her recent art exhibit. “I found love, and I’m not talking about Kevin’s. I’m so happy, irrelevant of a man. It has nothing to do with being in a relationship or not being in one,” she said.

This is not the first time Costner has been the subject of romance rumors since his divorce. Last November, he was also linked to Reese Witherspoon when a tabloid claimed that the two had been in frequent contact under the pretense of searching for a script to work on together. However, Witherspoon’s representative quickly dismissed the rumor as false.

Costner’s divorce from Baumgartner made headlines last year when she refused to move out of his $140 million home.