Kevin Costner hugs son Cayden, 17, in RARE family sighting as they grab lunch in Santa Barbara following Italian yacht voyage

Kevin Costner was spotted making a rare public outing with one of his teenage children on Monday after returning to the US.

The 69-year-old Horizon star was photographed in Summerland, California, leaning in for a loving cuddle with his 17-year-old son Cayden after they had lunch together.

The father-son duo were spotted walking into the parking lot after grabbing a bite to eat at Summerland Beach Cafe in Santa Barbara County, a short distance from the sprawling compound where Kevin lives with his minor children, including 15-year-old son Hayes and 14-year-old daughter Grace.

The Yellowstone director and actor returned to California after sharing photos of himself sunbathing on a yacht off the coast of Italy earlier this month.

The filmmaker, whose recent Western epic disappointed at the box office, shares Cayden and his two other youngest children with his ex Christine Baumgartner, with whom he has been embroiled in a “crushing” divorce battle since she filed for divorce in May 2023.

Kevin had just had lunch at the Summerland Beach Cafe with Cayden, which is in Santa Barbara County, not far from his sprawling property

Kevin wore similar clothes to when he was sailing, with beige shorts that accentuated his tanned legs.

The lead actor wore it with a summery white shirt with rolled-up sleeves halfway down his forearms, along with black sunglasses and flip-flops.

Cayden liked to wear voluminous clothes, such as baggy jeans, a black short-sleeved shirt, and a camouflage bandana over his hair.

He added a pop of color with a pair of striking, sporty orange sunglasses.

As Kevin and Cayden prepared to part ways, they shared a quick hug before going their separate ways.

Earlier this month, Kevin was spotted beaming in carefree photos he posted on Instagram, taken on the deck of a ship owned by Italian company Pardo Yachts.

Kevin received a lot of praise in the comments for his movie star look and short shorts. Even Chrisley Knows Best star Savannah Chrisley jumped in with a flirty message.

“The smile he gives when he first sees me,” she wrote, adding a smiley face and a crying, laughing emoji.

It’s not often that the JFK star makes public appearances with his children, although he and several of his children did make public appearances in June at the premiere of the first film in his series, Horizon: An American Saga.

His three youngest children came into the spotlight during his brutal divorce from his second wife, Christine Baumgartner, whom he married in 2004.

After Christine filed for divorce in May 2023, she initially refused to leave the family’s Santa Barbara home, despite being required to do so under the terms of the couple’s prenuptial agreement.

The Yellowstone star had just returned from a sailing trip off the coast of Italy, which he documented on Instagram, to the approval of his fans

The trip followed the Berlin premiere of his Western epic Horizon: An American Saga — Chapter 1. The film was a box office failure in the US, though international markets may boost its fortunes.

Kevin’s hunting photos were a hit with fans, including Chrisley Knows Best star Savannah Chrisley. “The smile he gives when he sees me for the first time,” she wrote in the comments

Kevin’s public outings with his kids are rare, but he and several of his children made a public appearance in June at the premiere of Horizon: An American Saga — Chapter 1; pictured with (L–R): Hayes, Cayden, Grace, Annie and Joe Tedrick Costner in June in LA

Kevin was embroiled in a bitter divorce battle with his ex Christine Baumgartner (pictured in 2022) after she filed for divorce in May 2023. She was ultimately awarded $63,000 a month in child support, far less than the $165,000 a month she had requested.

The exes both filed for joint custody of their three children. Christine was ultimately awarded $63,209 per month in child support, which was far less than the $165,000 per month she had originally requested.

Costner is also father to Annie, 40; Lily, 36; and Joe, 36 — whom he welcomed with ex-wife, Cindy Silva. He also shares son Liam, 26, with ex Bridget Rooney.

The filmmaker had already wrapped work on the second film in his Horizon series when the first premiered earlier this summer. However, the release date was pulled from distributor New Line Cinema’s release calendar after Chapter 1 failed to recoup its $50 million budget.

Costner reportedly began filming Chapter 3 of the series in May of this year, and a fourth and final film is already in the works. However, the commercial success of the previous sequels could still affect its fate.