Kevin Costner's Transformation Post-Divorce Is A Staggering Sight

Kevin Costner is having a moment, and no, it's not fueled by a mid-life crisis — that ship sailed a decade ago. The actor's glow-up seems to stem from wanting to rebound from his messy split from his second wife, Christine Baumgartner. While some fans were left scratching their heads at his divorced dad look, others are welcoming his post-divorce makeover with open arms, even though it largely involves the growth of facial hair. Lots of it.

Baumgartner filed for divorce from the "Yellowstone" star in May 2023, citing "irreconcilable differences" as the key reason. According to a source, Baumgartner wasn't too thrilled with the sudden spike in his work commitments when he was supposed to be enjoying his winding-down years. Ultimately, Costner's work-life imbalance was what pushed his ex-wife to pull the plug on their almost two-decade marriage. "Christine wants them to spend family time at their Santa Barbara home. During filming, Kevin is not around very much. His absence has been very hard for her," the insider shared with People at the time. "Christine doesn't want him to throw himself into another project. He has been obsessed with filming 'Horizon' since last year. She wasn't happy about it."

It wasn't until February 2024 that they finalized the divorce, with the two agreeing to co-parent their children. Since then, Costner has gone through quite a transformation, deciding to reinvent himself by reverting to his "Dances with Wolves" roots and growing a mean mustache.

Kevin Costner is looking sharper than ever, and his facial hair is stealing the spotlight. After experimenting with a soul patch and a goatee, Costner has fully embraced the mustache-and-soul-patch combo, giving Tom Selleck and his world-famous 'stache some serious competition. And fans are absolutely living for it.

Many of Costner's fans took to social media to share their thoughts on the actor's rugged look — and suffice it to say they highly approve of the new style. "Kevin Costner grew a mustache and a goatee and I think it's strictly for [the] girls, one fan tweeted. "Kevin Costner at #cannes2024 that mustache [chef's kiss emoji] for months I've been thinking of nothing but watching Horizon in theaters. Terribly thrilled," gushed another.

Even Jimmy Kimmel is on board, complimenting Costner during a "Jimmy Kimmel Live" interview. "I didn't think it was possible for you to be more handsome and yet here you are with this mustache and the soul patch going on. It really is working for you, and for me, I have to say," the host said. Costner revealed that the look is part of his commitment to a four-part film project, joking, "It's gotta work four times." And, so, if you've loved this look, then good news for you: Costner's face fuzz is here to say. You'll likely see more of it in the foreseeable future — or at least until the "Horizon" epic wraps up.

Kevin Costner is not afraid to admit that his divorce from Christine Baumgartner pretty much upended his life. During their child support hearings, he confessed that he was looking to learn how to stand up on his own and decide how to move forward with his life. "My world's been a little shook up ... I have to take care of obligations that are already in place, I have a lot of responsibilities I have to take care of," he said, noting that he will require significant me-time (via People). "I am going to need to take some time for myself ... I have a lot to contemplate — what I have to do versus what I want to do." So, is the mustache part of his grand rebound plan?

Whatever the case, it's pretty clear that Costner never intended to be bogged down by the split, so that likely explains his sudden glow-up. While most folks might let themselves go a bit after a divorce, Costner did the exact opposite. "I'm not going to lose myself. I've taken big bites out of life, life's taken big ones out of me, right? I'm not going to lose myself because I've been bruised," he told GQ in an interview. "I have been, but I'm not going to lose myself."