Inside the Growing Friendship Between Ben Affleck and Kevin Costner

Move over, Matt Damon — Ben Affleck has found a new close friend in Kevin Costner. According to a source, “Ben shares a lot more in common with Kevin right now than he does with Matt.” Both Oscar-winning actors turned directors, Affleck and Costner have experienced similar personal challenges, including multiple failed marriages. “Kevin really sees a lot of himself in Ben,” the source adds.

The two first worked together on 2010’s The Company Men and have been friends for some time. However, the last few years have been tough for both, and they’ve leaned on each other for support during difficult moments.

Costner finalized a lengthy divorce from his second wife, Christine Baumgartner, after 20 years in 2024. Affleck’s second marriage, to Jennifer Lopez, ended in 2025. Since then, both have been busy with their careers—Costner, 70, wrapping up his Horizon: An American Saga film series, and Affleck, 53, focusing on producing.

Despite their busy schedules, both are still navigating the dating scene—Costner is currently seeing director Kelly Noonan Gores, and the two occasionally “compare notes,” says the source.

Affleck can’t really open up to longtime best friend Damon—who’s been married to Luciana Barroso for two decades—about the challenges of being single in Hollywood right now.

“But Ben and Kevin connect on a deeper level,” the source explains. “They’ve been a real source of comfort for each other during a pretty intense time in both of their lives.”