The bitter divorce battle between the “Yellowstone” star Kevin Costner and his ex Christine Baumgartner has come to a sudden and shocking end as the two sides have come to an agreement that their prenuptial agreement will be enforced after all.
Kevin Wins!
Kevin Costner and Christine Baumgartner SHOCK divorce settlement: Bitter legal war meets surprising end with prenup enforced – and estranged wife, 49, would have to repay Yellowstone actor, 68, $1MILLION and his lawyer fees if challenged pic.twitter.com/Ybn0PZdIC8
— ᴼᴹᴳ ᶥᵗˢ Adàeze (@nubianbarbieeee) September 19, 2023
Costner Comes Out Victorious In Divorce Battle
Costner, 68, and Baumgartner, 49, had spent months battling it out over the terms of their divorce after they split on May 1 following 18 years of marriage.
“Kevin and Christine Costner have come to an amicable and mutually agreed upon resolution of all issues pertaining to their divorce proceedings,” the former couple told Daily Mail in a joint statement.
Costner appeared to celebrate on social media by posting a throwback photo of himself from the 1999 romantic drama film Message In A Bottle.
“Happy Monday, friends,” he captioned the photo. “Wishing health and happiness for all of you.”
Baumgartner Backs Down
TMZ reported that Baumgartner learned last weekend that “she would have to repay Kevin more than $1 million and pay his attorney’s fees for the prenup fight.” As soon as she heard this, she reportedly “agreed over the weekend to the terms of a 3-page settlement letter.”
Prior to this, Baumgartner had been gearing up for a November trial to challenge the validity of the prenuptial agreement. She had recently gone to court asking for $575,000 to pay her lawyers John Rydell and Susan Wiesner as well as an additional $280,000 for her forensic accountant Jill Bombino. Court documents show that Baumgartner had already been given $405,000 in legal, attorney, and “forensic accounting fees” back in July.
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Costner’s celebrity divorce attorney Laura Wasser fired back at this “whopping” request by describing the fees as “inflated,” adding that it would be “unconscionable” to force Costner to pay them.
Kevin Costner’s wife Christine Baumgartner files for divorce after 18 years of marriage pic.twitter.com/2DJoUDgDYf
— Daily Loud (@DailyLoud) May 3, 2023
Related: Kevin Costner Accuses Ex Of ‘Relentless Jihad’ – She Breaks Down In Court
Child Support Battle
Costner and Baumgartner share three teenage children who range in age from 13-16.
Earlier this month, Judge Thomas Anderle ruled in Costner’s favor when he slashed the monthly child support payments that he was paying his ex down from $129,755 to $63,209. This was a brutal defeat for Baumgartner, who had been asking for the payments to be increased to $161,592 per month, but the judge went so far as to accuse her of trying to obtain “disguised spousal support.”
“Support greater than $63,209 per month is disguised spousal support,” Anderle wrote in court documents obtained by Fox News. “Christine will have her opportunity to convince the Court that she is entitled to spousal support.”
“Christine is shocked,” a source close to Baumgartner said after the ruling. “She said even Kevin looked shocked. Everyone looked shocked. To say Christine is disappointed is an understatement. She described the ruling is a complete joke.”
Costner was reportedly blindsided when Baumgartner filed for divorce on May 1.
“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,” Costner’s representative told People Magazine at the time. “We ask that his, Christine’s, and their children’s privacy be respected as they navigate this difficult time.”
Breaking: Kevin #Costner and Christine Baumgartner’s divorce has been settled and the prenup enforced with a $1m penalty if challenged. Christine #Baumgartner agreed over to the terms of a 3-page settlement letter – ending the bitter divorce for the sake of the kids #yellowstone pic.twitter.com/E5hCeCtV0K
— Blue Bay Network (@BlueBayNetwork) September 19, 2023
Related: Kevin Costner Gets More Bad News As Bitter Divorce Battle Continues
‘Yellowstone’ Ends
Days after Baumgartner filed, 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 stated.
‘YELLOWSTONE’ will officially end with Season 5.
A sequel series will premiere in December, with Matthew McConaughey in talks to star. pic.twitter.com/Ie2iKpawId
— DiscussingFilm (@DiscussingFilm) May 5, 2023
Given how bitter this divorce battle appears to have been, it seems like it’s best for everyone that it has come to an end. For the sake of Costner and Baumgartner’s three children, we can only hope that they are able to be cordial to one another enough to co-parent effectively.
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