On Jan. 30, Kevin Costner’s ex-wife Christine Baumgartner flashed a giant ring for the first time since her engagement to millionaire Josh Connor. Connor proposed in Santa Barbara, California, over the weekend.

Photos of the couple leaving a Bar in Montecito, California, capture Baumgartner’s arm wrapped around Connor, her ring finger sporting a giant diamond. Baumgartner’s outfit – a brown long-sleeve shirt, black jeans, a puffer jacket, and loafers – seemed purposefully casual so as to draw attention to the giant rock. Connor likewise kept his outfit to a simple black sweater, navy slacks and tennis shoes, further accentuating the flashy ring on the hand wrapped around him.

Baumgartner’s divorce from Costner was finalized in February 2024. She filed for divorce in May 2023 after she and Costner had been married for 18 years. Connor was a neighbor of Baumgartner and Costner when they were married. Costner reportedly had his doubts about Baumgartner’s fidelity.

Baumgartner was first seen with Connor on vacation in Hawaii in July 2023. According to documents from the divorce proceedings, Baumgartner was struggling financially following her separation from Costner and went to Connor for help. As confirmed by Baumgartner’s attorney John Rydell, Connor lent Baumgartner $20,000 that summer to help her through her extreme “distress.”

A source close to Costner revealed that news of his ex-wife’s engagement came as a major surprise. As reported to The Daily Mail, Costner “felt sucker-punched when his kids told him about the marriage proposal…He said he would have preferred to have heard it straight from Christine, but either way, it still feels like a betrayal even after all this time.”

The source added, “He just celebrated his birthday. Thank God they waited at least a week to make the announcement.”

Costner turned 70 on Jan. 18.

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Article by Baila Eve Zisman

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