After months of contentious legal proceedings, Hollywood actor Kevin Costner and his former wife, Christine Baumgartner, have successfully come to a divorce settlement. The news was confirmed by a representative for Costner and Baumgartner who stated that:
“Kevin and Christine Costner have come to an amicable and mutually agreed upon resolution of all issues pertaining to their divorce proceedings.”
However, specific details of the settlement have not been immediately disclosed. In this respect, Costner’s attorney, Laura Wasser, known for her high-profile clientele including Britney Spears and Kim Kardashian, has declined to respond to requests for a comment.
Proceedings began in May when Baumgartner filed for divorce in the Santa Barbara County Superior Court, seeking to dissolve their 18-year marriage. Both parties sought joint custody of their three children: Cayden, 16, Hayes, 14, and Grace, 13.
Despite a prenuptial agreement in place, the ensuing legal battle saw the couple enter into a heated back and forth in court over the amount of child support that Costner would be obligated to pay. In May’s filing from Baumgartner, she requested that the “Yellowstone” star contribute a total of $248,000 per month for child support – citing expenses such as private school education and healthcare for their children. She emphasized Costner’s substantial income to support this, additionally leveraging her own status as a stay-at-home mother with no current source of income since the birth of their first child, as grounds for the request. Costner’s legal team rebutted this with a proposed monthly payment of $63,000.
The judge ultimately sided with Costner’s proposed figure, ordering Baumgartner to comply. It was also revealed that the actor had already provided $300,000 to Baumgartner in July to assist with her legal fees. Furthermore, Baumgartner later requested an additional $800,000 to cover further expenses incurred on this front.
Following this, July saw Baumgartner ordered by the judge to vacate the family’s beachfront compound in Carpinteria after she had declined to do so. The actor had previously allocated $200,000 to her for moving costs, in accordance with their prenuptial agreement which stipulated that Baumgartner was to leave their shared residence within 30 days of their separation. Costner also offered to cover any additional expenses. 
Historically, Costner and Baumgartner initially crossed paths on a golf course in the 1990s, while Costner was preparing for his role in the 1996 film “Tin Cup.” At the time, Costner was married to his first wife, Cindy Silva, and it wasn’t until 1999 that he began dating Baumgartner.
Despite a brief split in 2003 due to differing views on expanding their family, the couple reconciled, eventually tying the knot in Aspen, Colorado, in 2004. Over the subsequent years, they welcomed three children. Their separation marks the second divorce for the 68-year-old Costner who’s first marriage to Silva came to an end in 1994 after 16 years together.
Forbes reported that their divorce was one of the most costly in Hollywood history, with Silva receiving an estimated $80-million settlement.
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