Documents filed on Tuesday 20th February in a Santa Barbara, California court now reveal that Kevin Costner and Christine Baumgartner have finally concluded their divorce. Legal proceedings came to a close on Friday 16th February when the marriage was officially terminated, rendering both Costner and Baumgartner single for the first time in nearly 20 years.
Baumgartner first filed for divorce in May of 2023, listing 11th April 2023 as the date of her separation from the Yellowstone actor. A representative for Costner at the time stated that, “It is with great sadness that circumstances beyond his control have transpired which have resulted in Mr Costner having to participate in a dissolution of marriage action … We ask that his, Christine’s, and their children’s privacy be respected as they navigate this difficult time.”
Both parties were in agreement to seek joint custody of their two sons, Cayden, 16, and Hayes, 14, and their daughter Grace, 13, from the outset. However, despite a prenuptial agreement that was already in place, the couple apparently strongly disagreed on the matter of financial remuneration as Baumgartner asked Costner for circa 175,000 dollars per month in child support fees which far exceeded Costner’s expectations. The judge ultimately ruled in Costner’s favour, however, setting the monthly payments that he would be ordered to pay his ex-wife at a total of 63,209 dollars – this being the sum that was originally proposed by Costner and his lawyers.
Before all of this unfolded, Costner and Baumgartner had originally crossed paths on a golf course when Costner was in the process of rehearsing for his lead role in the 1996 blockbuster, Tin Cup. Following this, the pair reconnected at a restaurant in 1998 and then began dating later that year. A brief split over differing views on expanding their family then followed in 2003 but the couple ultimately decided to tie the knot in 2004 and held the wedding ceremony at Costner’s ranch in Aspen, Colorado, called The Dunbar, which boasts a 160-arces of land. This marked Costner’s second marriage, having already divorced his previous wife Cindy Silva in 1994, whom he was married to for 16 years. The settlement for Silva’s divorce is reported to have totalled an estimated 80 million dollars and is one of the most costly on record in Hollywood history.
No couple going into a marriage generally chooses to do so with an end date in mind and finding that the relationship has changed or died out in some way so as to merit a divorce is never an easy thing to accept. We at Grayfords understand how difficult making such a decision is and our expert solicitors have a wealth of experience in managing divorce and other family law cases, helping our clients to achieve the best outcomes when separating from their ex-partners. If you are considering a divorce or need help with any other family related legal dispute, don’t hesitate to book your free consultation today to talk to one of our solicitors and find out more about how we can help.