The “Yellowstone” star Kevin Costner is currently in the midst of a bitter divorce battle with his ex Christine Baumgartner, who he was married to from 2004 until she filed for divorce back in May. Now, this divorce war has escalated once again, as Costner has accused Baumgartner of launching a “relentless jihad” against him, causing her to break down in court.
UPDATE: Kevin Costner’s ex Christine Baumgartner calls $129,000 monthly child support “insufficient”
She says Kevin needs to pay more child support “so that the children can go on comparable vacations when they are with her. This is true even if the child support payments also… pic.twitter.com/RghHI6ExTr
— Daily Loud (@DailyLoud) August 31, 2023
‘Relentless Jihad’
On Thursday, Baumgartner requested that a judge set a new monthly child custody order pertaining to the couple’s three teenage children. Costner’s legal team fired back by accusing Baumgartner of creating “animosity” between the parties before a “wholly unnecessary” court proceeding.
“Christine’s relentless ‘jihad’ against Kevin’s character adds a level of animosity to this proceeding that is wholly unnecessary, and meant to distract from the intellectual exercise at hand,” Costner’s lawyers wrote in court papers obtained by Fox News.
Baumgartner, 49, is asking for $161,592 in monthly child support, and her lawyer John Rydell argued in his opening statements on Thursday that Costner, 68, can easily pay this, given his status as a major movie star. He went on to estimate that even if Costner starts paying this amount, he will still make roughly $731,000 per month after taxes.
Baumgartner broke down in tears on the stand when her lawyer claimed that she would not be able to find a rental home that is of comparable value to the former couple’s vacation homes. This includes their home in Aspen, which Baumgartner reportedly has a sentimental attachment to.
Kevin Costner Denies He Had Affair Amid Divorce
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Costner Claims Baumgartner Has A ‘Boyfriend’
Costner’s attorneys responded by claiming that Baumgartner received $20,000 from a “boyfriend,” but she alleged that she received this money from Joshua Connor, who she described as a longtime friend of “7 or 8 years.”
“Is he your boyfriend?” Rydell asked, to which Baumgartner replied, “No.”
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Baumgartner admitted that she travelled to Hawaii back in March with Connor and his daughter, saying that Costner did not go because “he wanted do do a speech with a hunting club.” Connor’s daughter is reportedly “best friends” with Costner and Baumgartner’s 13 year-old daughter Grace.
When asked if Connor “gave Christine money,” she replied, “I can’t remember if it was before or after (the March or July trips to Hawaii.) He gave me $20,000.”
“I gave $10,000 to my mother,” she added as she became emotional. “She was concerned about her house.”
Back in July, Baumgartner was awarded $129,755 in monthly support for her three children after requesting $248,000 per month. Costner had offered to pay $51,000 per month, so the judge met them both in the middle.
Kevin Costner’s ex Christine Baumgartner calls $129,000 monthly child support “insufficient”
She says Kevin needs to pay more child support “so that the children can go on comparable vacations when they are with her. This is true even if the child support payments also improve… pic.twitter.com/3f06YNvOfG
— Social Dirt (@SocialDirt) August 31, 2023
Related: Kevin Costner Gets More Bad News As Bitter Divorce Battle Continues
Costner And Baumgartner War Over Money
In the latest court papers, Baumgartner described Costner as “a man of extraordinary wealth.”
“Unlike many family law litigants, Kevin can pay guideline child support, as well as make a further contribution to Christine’s fees, without it making any meaningful difference in his life,” the documents stated.
Costner, however, was not having any of it, with his lawyers accusing Baumgartner of “gameplaying” and asking for a court order that would force her to pay $14,237.50 in his attorneys’ fees.
“Petitioner Christine Costner has been given every opportunity and nearly three months to answer the straightforward discovery requests at issue,” Costner’s lawyers argued. “She persists in her refusal to do so.”
“The Court ‘shall’ award monetary sanctions against a party who, like Christine, has acted ‘without substantial justification,’” they continued. “Silly rhetoric, like calling this motion to compel ‘a press release masquerading as a pleading,’ just reinforces the gameplaying.”
Not stopping there, Costner’s lawyers argued that the monetary sanctions would “be a deterrent to any discovery abuse on Christine’s part in the future.”
Kevin Costner’s ex-wife, Christine Baumgartner, is seeking an increase in child support, stating the current $129k per month is insufficient.
She’s requesting $175k/month, arguing their kids should maintain the same lifestyle they have with Costner. pic.twitter.com/Sw58Vt3UIs
— BoreCure (@CureBore) August 26, 2023
Related: Kevin Costner Hurls Major Accusation At Ex As Bitter Divorce Battle Escalates
‘Yellowstone’ Ending
Days after Baumgartner filed for divorce on May 1, Daily Mail reported that the end of “Yellowstone” was announced by Chris McCarthy, president and CEO of Showtime/MTV Entertainment Studios, who also revealed that a sequel series starring Matthew McConaughey will be replacing it.
“‘Yellowstone’ has been the cornerstone on which we have launched an entire universe of global hits — from ‘1883’ to ‘Tulsa King,’ and I am confident our sequel will be another big hit, thanks to the brilliant creative mind of Taylor Sheridan [the show’s creator] and our incredible casts who bring these shows to life,” McCarthy said.
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— Marvel Jacket (@marveljacketusa) August 29, 2023
Divorce is never easy, particularly when a couple is in the public eye. For the sake of Costner and Baumgartner’s three children, we can only hope that their divorce proceedings become more amicable moving forward.
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