“Kevin Costner, 71, ‘being cautious’ with 46-year-old new girlfriend”

Kevin Costner, 71, is reportedly taking a cautious approach to his new romance with 46-year-old Kelly Noonan Gores. The actor and the author-filmmaker, who met through mutual friends, have allegedly been dating since August 2025. With a 25-year age gap between them, Costner is said to want the relationship to remain “private and casual,” following his 2023 divorce from model Christine Baumgartner, 51, finalized in February 2024.

Costner and Baumgartner, who were married for 18 years, share three children: Cayden, 18, Hayes, 16, and Grace, 15. Baumgartner has since married Costner’s former friend Josh Connor, which reportedly still stings the actor. A source revealed, “Part of him wishes they could have made it work. It stings that she remarried, but he tries not to focus on it.”

According to insiders, Gores has been a “grounding” presence for Costner. The pair reportedly spend time together at his Santa Barbara estate when their schedules allow, enjoying quiet nights in, walks on the beach, and home-cooked dinners. “Kevin is dating and happy again after a very dark time,” the source added. “They were together in Aspen in late July. He’s keeping it hush-hush to avoid unwanted attention.”

Gores, who shares a six-year-old daughter, Riley Grace, with her ex-husband Alec Gores, is described as “exactly his type,” with shared interests including the outdoors, sports, surfing, and dog walks. Costner also enjoys that she has young children.

Costner’s personal life comes as his self-funded Western, Horizon: An American Saga, which he invested $38 million in, struggled at the box office. The film was originally planned as a four-part franchise but the first installment failed to recoup its budget. Despite the setback, Costner is not giving up. He has also teamed up with Morgan Freeman to produce The Gray House, an eight-episode historical drama miniseries for Amazon Prime, which will premiere on February 26, 2026.

Age-gap relationships are not unusual in Hollywood. Other examples include Dick Van Dyke and Arlene, Sarah Paulson and Holland Taylor, Ellen DeGeneres and Portia de Rossi, and the recent pairing of Katy Perry and Justin Trudeau.