The Kevin Costner divorce from Christine Baumgartner made headlines throughout 2023.
It was contentious. It was litigious. And some of the numbers were downright-mind-boggling.
Thankfully, that ugly battle is over. But rumors about Kevin Costner and Christine Baumgartner’s divorce persist.
What really happened? How did it all go down? And who “won” in court?
In May 2023, Christine Baumgartner filed for divorce
According to court documents, Kevin Costner and Christine Baumgartner actually broke up a month before the filing.
Later in May, Costner filed his formal response to her divorce petition.
It was there that he mentioned the couple’s prenuptial agreement. This would ultimately figure into their divorce, escalating the drama of their contentious split.
‘Yellowstone’ played a role in Kevin Costner and Christine Baumgartner’s divorce
Many of us have parents or grandparents who are huge fans of Yellowstone. But for Christine Baumgartner, this was the show — with its many scheduling delays — that kept her husband away from his family for extended periods of time. (Episodes take much longer to film than to watch, folks)
The back half of Season 5 and of Yellowstone‘s final season meant that his time away from home stretched on longer than he’d intended.
The topic of Yellowstone came up when discussing finances and child support. At one point, Costner’s attorneys claimed that he would be unable to afford the requested child support due to diminished income after he left the series. Baumgartner’s attorneys noted that he would still be a profit participant even after departing the show.
Obviously, they fought about money
As the divorce kicked off in 2023, Kevin Costner accused Christine Baumgartner of withdrawing tens of thousands of dollars from his bank account in order to pay her divorce attorneys and hire a forensic accountant.
Apparently, this is why he reduced her credit card limit to $30,000 per month.
At this family’s level of wealth, all of the numbers are large. It is very normal for divorcing couples to withdraw or move money — what matters is whether they have a right to do so, and whether they are depriving their ex (or children) of vital funds to live, eat, and (yes) to pay for the divorce.
Kevin Costner and Christine Baumgartner struggled over their marital home
During their 2023 divorce battle, Costner claimed that his now-estranged wife was refusing to abide by the prenup. Apparently, the agreement was that she would vacate the property within 30 days.
Though Costner was apparently willing to offer money for a rental home and moving costs. However, Baumgartner’s attorney argued in court documents that he did not actually have a legal right to expel her and their children from the home.
Christine Baumgartner asked to remain on the property until August of that year. She sought to find a home that would be a good fit for the children. However, a court denied her request, and she moved out in July — only days before the court-ordered date to vacate. She and Costner still managed to feud over how many pots and pans she took with her.
Most infamously, their divorce included a child support battle
In June of 2023, Christine Baumgartner reportedly requested $248,000 per month in child support. She noted in her court filing that even this full amount would mean a downgrade in the lifestyle to which the children were accustomed. She asked for several specific payments for the children, but did not request spousal support in that filing.
Court documents alleged that Costner was making $1,537,000 (approximately) each month. He is a prolific actor who has been famous for decades and, of course, continues to work. Costner protested that he was now making less, as he was no longer on Yellowstone.
Ultimately, family court ruled that Costner will pay Baumgartner $129,755 per month in child support. He also had to fork over six figures in various costs, including attorneys’ fees. The pair must contribute equally to specific expenses for the children, including healthcare and sports. A judge later knocked Costner’s monthly child support payments all of the way down to $63,209.
The Kevin Costner divorce money fights continued
In 2022, Kevin Costner allegedly made $19,517,064. Family expenses that year came down to $6,645,285. This meant everything from maintaining the home to the children’s education to medical costs, and more.
Meanwhile, Costner allegedly deposited money into an account for Baumgartner in a move that she claimed was a trick — one to undercut her in court.
Firing back, Kevin Costner argued in June of 2023 that Christine Baumgartner was using 60 percent of the child support money for personal expenses, like her own private trainer. Divorce fights can be so contentious!
Did Christine Baumgartner get with their former neighbor?
Amidst the initial Kevin Costner divorce news came a rumor that Christine Baumgartner had gotten with Daniel Starr, who had once been a tenant on their Santa Barbara property.
Starr himself debunked the rumor to TMZ, noting that he had moved away from the property. Costner and Baumgartner had been his landlords and nothing more.
In fact, he had moved out ahead of the end of his lease. One imagines that he wanted to escape the drama-by-proxy. Christine did go on to date, but not her tenant.
Did Kevin Costner tell their kids about the divorce over Zoom?
According to Christine Baumgartner, Kevin Costner broke the divorce news to their kids over video chat. She’d hoped to talk to the children together and in person.
“He insisted that he had the right to tell them that we were getting divorced ‘first’ and tell them privately ‘without me present,’” Baumgartner accused in a court filing. “After a 24-year relationship, from his hotel room in Las Vegas, Kevin told our three children that we were getting divorced over a 10-minute Zoom call without me present.”
He had planned to be home five days later. Baumgartner expressed her confusion over why he broke the news in this way.
The Christine Baumgartner and Kevin Costner divorce is settled
In September of 2023, Kevin Costner and Christine Baumgartner settled their bitter divorce. It had taken four months of an intense and dramatic court battle to work out the terms, which they kept private (mostly).
Then, in February of 2024, the marriage formally ended. The court finalized their divorce.