Kevin Costner closed out 2025 far from Hollywood soundstages and swirling headlines, retreating to Aspen, Colorado — a place he’s long considered home. In mid-December, he shared a video of his Labrador, Bobby, running through the snow against a stunning backdrop of white-capped mountains, and he was later spotted on a night out with his daughter Lily and a few friends ahead of New Year’s Eve. The Oscar-winning actor, who owns a sprawling 160-acre ranch just minutes from downtown, looked handsome and relaxed in blue jeans and a camel coat as he and the small group departed a restaurant. “Aspen,” a source tells Us Weekly, “is where Kevin is happiest.”
It was a welcome escape. In October, The Hollywood Reporter published a scathing article titled “How Kevin Lost Hollywood,” highlighting Costner’s recent career setbacks, including the lackluster performance of the first installment of his lofty Horizon film series, multiple lawsuits over unpaid costume fees and his unceremonious 2024 exit from Yellowstone. The article detailed an explosive fight that took place between Costner, 71, and his Yellowstone costar Wes Bentley during filming; the argument — which reportedly ended in a shouting match after Costner lunged at Bentley — temporarily shut down production.
As the dust settles and 2026 begins, the star is doing his best to recalibrate. “This period of life has been a huge adjustment for Kevin,” says a second source, noting that Costner’s been feeling more “introspective” since his 2024 divorce from his wife of 18 years, Christine Baumgartner. (Costner and Baumgartner, who married financier Josh Connor in October, are parents to kids Cayden, 18, Hayes, 16, and Grace, 15; Costner is also dad to Annie, 41, Lily, 39, Joe, 37, and Liam, 29, from previous relationships.) He has several projects in the works and has been casually dating 46-year-old writer Kelly Noonan Gores since the summer. “Kevin has spent the last year trying to figure out what’s next for him,” shares the source, “and he’s embracing the journey.” Adds a third source: “He’s telling his inner circle that 2026 is his redemption year.”
Costner is known for taking risks, but lately, they haven’t exactly been paying off. He put $38 million of his own money — including a mortgage on his Santa Barbara beach house — into Horizon, but it failed to recoup its large budget. Three planned sequels are currently stalled. “Of course, he was disappointed that Horizon wasn’t more successful. He put his all into it,” says a fourth source, noting that Costner “still isn’t giving up” on the project. The third source says “it’s not looking good” for future installments. “Everyone thought the first one would be a success and it wasn’t, so that changed things.” Costner and Horizon producers settled one lawsuit over costume fees in July, but another was filed in late December; a stuntwoman has also sued Costner and the producers, alleging she was subjected to an unscripted rape scene. Costner called the allegations “patently false” and “deeply disappointing,” adding that they were designed to damage his reputation.
JOEL RYAN/INVISION/ASSOCIATED PRESSHe brought star power and big ratings to Yellowstone — but also drama, according to multiple accounts. The Hollywood Reporter said Costner wanted Bentley to go off-script when they nearly came to blows. “They were in each other’s faces, pushing and shoving and just getting hot until they had to be separated,” the outlet reported. (A spokesperson for Bentley confirmed the altercation to THR, calling it a “work-related argument during an emotional and physically tough scene,” which was “discussed and resolved.” Costner’s spokesperson declined to comment.)
“When production was shut down, the crew breathed a sigh of relief,” the third source tells Us, “and when Kevin left the show, everyone was like, ‘Thank God.’” (During his 2023 divorce court proceedings, Costner offered his take on what went wrong, saying, “We tried to negotiate, they offered me less money than previous seasons [and] there were issues with the creative.”) Says the fourth source: “It’s a misconception that Kevin was forced out of Yellowstone or that he was the loser in that situation. He was happy to move on.”
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There’s no question he’s passionate about his work. His perfectionism helped him get to the top — but it can also rub people the wrong way on sets. “Kevin’s ego is on overdrive. He’s charming one minute and snapping the next,” says the third source. “Working with him can come with challenges,” adds the second source. “The atmosphere on [the Yellowstone] set had become exhausting and volatile.” The first source says that while Costner has long had a reputation for being “driven and difficult,” it hasn’t scared people off. “I’d never heard of people saying they wouldn’t work with him.”
The third source tells Us the bad press has been eating away at him. “Kevin was devastated and furious [after reading the THR story]. He cares way more than he lets on.” The first source insists the veteran star knows how to tune criticism out. “I don’t think the THR piece would have a huge impact on Kevin. He’s taken so many hits through the years, and he doesn’t engage with the press or pay attention to it, really.”
Danno Nell/Paramount Network/Courtesy Everett CollectionIt’s a good time for a reset. “The Hollywood sentiment toward Kevin is changing and is kind of in a polite decline mode,” says the third source. “There are insurance considerations about too many issues on set. No one’s blackballing him, but the phone has stopped ringing for leading-man money.”
In November, Variety reported he’s in talks to play former President Bill Clinton in a political drama series called United, produced by Leonardo DiCaprio. The source says opportunities will continue to come his way — if he keeps his expectations realistic. “He is iconic. He’s Kevin Costner and you can’t take his legacy away from him, but he has to adjust what he thinks he deserves to be paid.”
He’s ready for a comeback, professionally and financially. “Kevin definitely needs to work,” says the third source, noting that the failure of Horizon hit him hard, as did his pricey divorce. (He’s estimated to be worth $250 million.) “Kevin has a lot of expenses and has spent a lot of his money. He’s expressed that he does not have the money people think he has,” notes the second source. “He’s eager to be back out in Hollywood doing the work he’s known for.”
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Costner shared his love of filmmaking with Us at Art of Elysium’s 2025 Heaven Gala in November, saying, “I think storytelling can be healing. It can be informative. It can remind us of who we think we’d like to be. You see great heroism on the screen, sometimes even in the smallest way, and when we see it, we recognize it and think to ourselves, ‘I need to be like that.’ We see things in movies that we wish we would have said — which we still can.” The second source says he’s focused on choosing “passion projects” which “remind him why he fell in love with storytelling in the first place.”
Things are looking promising in his personal life. He and Noonan met through mutual friends. “It’s very private and casual,” says the second source of their relationship. “After such a public and expensive divorce, he’s being cautious. They see each other when schedules allow, often spending time at his Santa Barbara estate. They love dinners at home, walks on the beach and quiet nights in.” The third source says Noonan is a “grounding” force for Costner, adding, “he’s not looking for a serious relationship or marriage any time soon.” Last June, he told Extra he was open to finding love again. “People are supposed to be together,” he said. “I’m sure that could happen for me.”
Courtesy of Kevin Costner/InstagramHe’s on better terms with Baumgartner. “He’s happy for her, and he’s trying to keep things positive for the kids’ sake,” says the third source. (The second source tells Us the actor has “moved on,” but “part of him remains resentful of the situation and wishes they could have made it work. It stings that she remarried, but he tries not focus on it.”)
His seven kids remain at the center of his life. During his November chat with Us, he talked about his plans to make the holidays extra special for them. “When they were younger, there were things that were more repetitive. Now you’re just fighting to get them home from college; I do the best I can to make it as warm as I can. I’m a bachelor, so I miss those really cute things to do, so I have to work especially hard to make sure there’s stuff that they’ll think about and remember.”
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It’s already been a productive 2026. “Kevin has a lot in the works,” says the second source. “He knows he’ll have a comeback but would never call it that. He loves big ideas, risk and proving people wrong.” Last March, Costner told local Utah paper St. George News that his Territory Studios had completed the first phase of building a $100 million film studio and soundstage near the city. He still has his band, Kevin Costner & Modern West, and will likely continue hosting and producing various documentary projects, like the docuseries Yellowstone to Yosemite and The West he worked on last year.
In October, Page Six reported that Costner was shopping a TV series about diving for sunken treasure. The topic isn’t totally out of the blue: In a 2019 video, the actor had revealed he’d partnered with diver and marine archaeologist Alex Mirabel on a nautical project. “Kevin and Alex have worked together for many years. They share a love and appreciation for history and underwater exploration,” shares a fifth source. “Kevin is very passionate about this, and I think people would be amazed at some of the projects he has worked on.”
If anyone knows how to ride the waves of fame, it’s Costner. “Kevin’s been in the business for decades, and is realistic about the highs and lows,” says the fourth source. “He’s lived through it all before. And he will always bet on himself — that’s one thing that won’t change.”
For more on Costner, watch the exclusive video above and pick up the latest issue of Us Weekly — on newsstands now.
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