- Kevin Costner and Christine Baumgartner are locked in an increasingly acrimonious divorce.
- Baumgartner wants Costner to pony up $248K a month in child support.
- She argued that the amount would keep their kids in the lifestyle they grew up in.
Kevin Costner’s soon-to-be-ex-wife said he brings in $1.5 million dollars a month and she needs more than the $30,000 a month in support he has offered to care for their three children.
Christine Baumgartner filed court documents late last week asking a judge to order Costner to pay her $248,000 a month for their three children, Cayden, 16, Hayes, 14, and Grace, 13. She also wants the “Yellowstone” actor to pay the kids’ private school tuition, extracurricular activities, and sports as well as their health care expenses, court documents filed on her behalf state.
In her filing, Baumgartner explained that they lived a jet-set lifestyle of private planes, multiple sprawling estates, lavish vacations to the Caribbean and Hawaii, memberships to country clubs, private chefs, and elite schools for their children.
The mom of three said Costner made $19.5 million in 2022, and he paid all of their family’s $11.9 million in expenses, leaving a net income of $7.5 million, according to her declaration, which was obtained by Insider.
“Our marital lifestyle, including that of the children, was consistent with Kevin’s long-term exceedingly high income,” Baumgartner said in her June 16 declaration. She added, “My primary goal is to make sure that the children continue to thrive, and when they are with me, to live in a home and lifestyle that is at least somewhat comparable to that of their father.”
Baumgartner, 49, a handbag designer, said she is unemployed and spends her days raising their children and managing their households, projects, and staff. She said that outside of $50,000 in the bank, she has no other assets or income. She acknowledged that Costner deposited $1.4 million into a bank account that he opened under her name, but said if she accepts the money, she is concerned that it’ll void her legal right to claim additional support, her declaration states.
Baumgartner also insisted she has tried to keep her now very public divorce private, according to her declaration.
“I have avoided being public about the reasons for our divorce,” Baumgartner said in the June 16 declaration. “I have done this to protect our family’s privacy. I did not pressure Kevin to leave the ‘Yellowstone’ show. Kevin’s public attacks on me are harmful for our family. I believe they are meant to pressure me to move out without a temporary child support order in place.”
The wife also chided Costner for the way he revealed their split to the children. Instead of taking Baumgartner’s advice and telling them together, she alleged Costner wanted to be “first” and inform them without her there.
“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,” Baumgartner said, according to her declaration. “I am still confused by his motivation to do this via a very short Zoom session, especially since he was planning on being home five days later. He also could have easily come home from Las Vegas to have that conversation in person.”
The couple were married for nearly 20 years before Baumgartner filed for divorce last month, citing irreconcilable differences.
Costner responded by asking the judge to oust Baumgartner from his $145 million compound in Santa Barbara. He argued that Baumgartner agreed to move out in the event that they split as a provision in their prenuptial agreement. He also said he paid her $1 million towards finding a new home and offered to pay $30,000 a month to support the children.
Baumgartner then alleged that Costner was trying to kick both her and their teenagers out of the home, which Costner denied.
Both sides are due back in court next month, when a judge will rule on whether Costner has the legal standing to force Baumgartner to move out of his compound.
Lawyers for Baumgartner and Costner did not respond to a request for comment Wednesday.
The divorce comes amid some drama in Costner’s professional life, too. Deadline reported in February that behind-the-scenes tension between the actor and the “Yellowstone” co-creator Taylor Sheridan was holding up production on the show’s current season.
While Costner has yet to address the claims, it was announced in May that the drama would be ending later this year with the conclusion of its fifth and final season.