Kevin Costner said he's open to finding love again after his recent separation and amid his acrimonious divorce battle.
On navigating life following his split from Christine Baumgartner, the 69-year-old actor said he is 'not going to let anything harden [his] heart.'
About falling in love again, he said that he '[loves] the idea of that possibility' in hisPeoplecover story published on Thursday.
The Oscar winner also shared with the outlet that he was 'disappointed' that Yellowstone higher-ups didn't defend himamid the controversy over his exit from the series and touched on the romance rumors with singer Jewel.
When asked about how he has been navigating life after his ex filed for divorce in May 2023 after nearly 20 years of marriage, he simply responded: 'You just do it.'
Kevin Costner said he's open to finding love again after his recent divorce; seen on June 17
'You just keep talking, you keep coaching [the kids], you keep interested in what they're interested in,' he continued. 'I had to.'
The father of seven — who shares sons Cayden, 17, Hayes, 15, and 14-year-old daughter Grace with Baumgartner — also added that he is hopeful of finding love again.
'Yeah, I think everybody would like to be in love,' said the three-time Golden Globe winner — who also has four adult children: Annie, 40, Lily, 37, Joe, 36, and Liam, 27.
'There's such a good feeling that's associated with that,' he continued.
'It may have to be defined in a different way,' he added. 'But yeah, I love the idea of that possibility.'
Meanwhile, he has been channeling his passion into Horizon: An American Saga, the debut movie in his upcoming four-part Western epic.
Horizon: An American Saga is a film directed and produced by as well as starring himself in a screenplay he co-wrote. The movie opens in theaters on June 28.
He fronted $38 million of his own money and mortgaged property to help fund the film, but he shared his excitement for his life.
On navigating life following his separation from Christine Baumgartner, the 69-year-old actor said he is 'not going to let anything harden [his] heart'; seen in March 2022
About falling in love again, he said that he '[loves] the idea of that possibility' in his People cover story published on Thursday. The Oscar winner also touched on the romance rumors with singer Jewel; seen in December 2023
'I've had an incredibly unusual — and, for the most part, beautiful — life,' Costner said.
'I've taken some really big bites out of life, and life has taken some really big ones out of me, and I've never let it harden me and I'm not going to,' he added.
He also said that his top priority remains with his kids.
'It's really about the children,' the actor and filmmaker says. 'I am still teaching my kids. And by the way, I'm still learning.'
During the same interview, he opened up about his rumored romance with Jewel.
The pair previously sparked romance rumors when they were spotted spending Thanksgiving together and later pictured at a charity event in the British Virgin Islands late last year.
In his cover story, he insisted that they aren't dating amid the rampant romance rumors.
'No, Jewel and I are friends,' he told People. 'We've never gone out ever.'
When asked about how he has been navigating life after his ex filed for divorce in May 2023 after nearly 20 years of marriage, he simply responded: 'You just do it'; seen on June 18
The father of seven — who shares sons Cayden, 17, Hayes, 15, and 14-year-old daughter Grace with Baumgartner — also added that he is hopeful of finding love again and enjoys the idea; seen on January 7
Costner also added: 'She's special, and I don't want — I don't want these rumors to ruin our friendship because that's what we have. She's special to me. She's beautiful enough to go out with.'
He then explained how the rumors began when he visited Sir Richard Branson's Necker Island for a charity event Jewel was involved in.
Recalling how he became friends with Jewel, Costner recalled: 'Richard Branson had been asking me for years to come down to Necker Island, and so I finally did.
'I'm divorced all of a sudden. I'm a single father, and he's ask me for, you know, 10 years to come down there. I said, "Well, I guess I'll go down."'
On his friendship with Jewel, he added: 'She was somebody I just had some tremendous conversations with, and along with Emma [Watson].
'I was on [the plane] with nine people and, I don't want the press to ruin this for us, because I've had conversations with her, text wise and she's so smart, and she's been through a lot herself, and so we have a friendship.
'We don't have a romance, and we've not dated,' he added. 'She's beautiful and smart enough for all those things.'
Costner has been going through a bitter divorce battle from Baumgartner since their split in May 2023, while Jewel was previously married to rodeo champion Ty Murray.
