Kevin Costner felt 'sucker-punched' after learning of ex-wife Christine Baumgartner's engagement to the man he had considered a friend Josh Connor, DailyMail.com has learned. Handsome financier Connor, 49, popped the question during an intimate dinner earlier this week, less than one year after Baumgartner and Costner's messy divorce was finalized. And while friends of the couple were reportedly not surprised by the proposal, the news came as a shocking 'betrayal' to Costner who only found out from his children, insiders revealed.

'Kevin said he felt sucker-punched when his kids told him about the marriage proposal,' a close source told DailyMail.com exclusively. 'He said he would have preferred to have heard it straight from Christine, but either way, it still feels like betrayal even after all this time. 'He just celebrated his birthday, thank God they waited at least a week to make the announcement,' the friend added. Kevin Costner only learned of his ex-wife's engagement through is children, insiders tell DailyMail.com.

Christine Baumgartner and Costner's former friend Josh Connor were revealed to be engaged on Wednesday - less than a year after her divorce from the Hollywood icon - pictured May 2024. Costner, who turned 70 on January 18, has been seen out and about in recent weeks, partying in Aspen, Colorado and mingling with the likes of Jennifer Lopez, Jeff Bezos, and other A-list stars. Earlier this week he unveiled his new television project, Yellowstone to Yosemite, on Fox News-owned streaming service FoxNation, following his shock departure from Yellowstone last year.

The show, set to premiere on February 8, will follow the actor on President Theodore Roosevelt and naturalist John Muir's Yosemite expedition in 1903. 'Kevin will do what he always does and that's focus on his kids and his work,' the source added. 'He's premiering Horizon 2 at the Santa Barbara International Film Festival, his docuseries is coming out soon and he's got his music and of course his best friend Bobby.

'Thank god for that dog, he's been there with Kevin through it all, bringing him and the kids so much joy. Sources told DailyMail.com Costner felt 'sucker-punched' when he learned of his ex-wife's upcoming marriage from his children and wished she would've relayed the news to him herself. He is pictured with kids, Hayes, Grace, and Cayden, whom he shares with Baumgartner. The former couple welcomed three children during the course of their marriage: Cayden, 17, Hayes, 15, and Grace, 14.

Baumgartner and Connor's relationship was confirmed in January 2024. They are pictured in Montecito July 2024. 'Kevin was bragging about Bobby being on the cover of Dogue Magazine and how he's a celebrity in his own right.'. 'As far as dating, Kevin said it's just not a priority right now. He said he's not opposed to it and if it happens it happens.'. Costner has publicly gushed over his beloved one-year-old English Boxhead Lab, whom he adopted in December 2023.

The pup had supported him on the set several times and is often featured on his social media. Costner, 70, and Baumgartner, 50, split in May 2023 following a 19-year marriage and three children - with Baumgartner sparking up a romance with Connor, 49, that year. The couple got engaged on January 26 during an intimate dinner in Santa Barbara, according to People. Kevin Costner's latest project is raising eyebrows, with many wondering if he's subtly capitalizing on his Yellowstone fame after his fallout with the show's creator Taylor Sheridan.

Costner has publicly gushed over his beloved one-year-old English Boxhead Lab, whom he adopted in December 2023. Kevin gushed in his dog's DOGUE cover story last Wednesday: 'Bobby is with me always. He's either at my feet, my bed, on the couch… just always by my side. He travels with me on set and on vacations when it's appropriate and possible'. A source said: 'It was about to rain, so almost no one else was on the beach when Josh got down on one knee.'.

The couple's loved ones were 'not surprised' by the proposal, with the source adding: 'They spent Christmas together last month, where it all began. They are both over the moon and excited for their future together.'. The proposal comes 11 months after Costner and Baumgartner settled their acrimonious divorce battle following much legal wrangling over child and spousal support. Costner and Baumgartner both sought joint custody of their three children and Baumgartner is receiving $63,209 a month in child support from her ex, a much lower amount than the $165,000 she had requested.

In an emotional court hearing in August, Christine had argued that their children had grown accustomed to a life of luxury, claiming that their 'affluent lifestyle' was 'in their DNA.'. Baumgartner previously wanted to overturn her prenuptial agreement so she could  receive alimony. Under the prenup she is entitled to a lump sum of $1.5million and a year's worth of mortgage payments on a new home worth up to $1million.