Earlier this week, we reported that the former “Yellowstone” star Kevin Costner had come out victorious in his bitter divorce battle with his ex Christine Baumgartner, who he had been married to since 2004. Now, new details have emerged as to why Christine decided to finally back down in this divorce war after fighting Kevin for months.
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
‘Kevin Had All The Power’
Fans were shocked earlier this week when Christine, 49, finally agreed to a divorce settlement with Kevin, 68. This was particularly surprising, given the fact that she had been gearing up to challenge the validity of their prenuptial agreement in court later this fall. However, a source close to Christine is speaking out to say that the mother of three had run out of options.
“Christine didn’t really have a choice but to settle because Kevin had all the power. Had she continued fighting, she would risk losing everything,” the source told Daily Mail. “Christine said it is what it is. That she won’t miss going to court and having sleepless nights.”
“She said for the kids it’s a win because no child wants to go thru this, let alone in public,” the insider continued. “She was the one who wanted to settle things outside of court in the first place. She never wanted any of this circus. It’s been a living nightmare and now she just wants to move on and start fresh and begin making her new house a home.”
Secrets of Kevin Costner & Christine Baumgartner's Divorce Settlement #shorts #kevincostner pic.twitter.com/pjULILDcBq
— Andray (@andrayofficial) September 21, 2023
Related: Kevin Costner Comes Out Victorious Over Ex In Bitter Divorce Battle As His Prenup Is Enforced
Divorce Settlement Reached
Kevin and Christine issued a joint statement earlier this week saying that they “have come to an amicable and mutually agreed upon resolution of all issues pertaining to their divorce proceedings.”
TMZ reported that things all changed last weekend, when Christine learned 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.”
While the prenup is still enforceable, Christine ended up walking away with more than she was prescribed to get in this agreement.
Kevin Costner and Christine Baumgartner settle their divorce after 18 years of marriage.
Despite the prenup's terms, sources indicate that Christine received more than stipulated to reach a settlement. If she disputes it, she must repay Kevin over $1M plus his lawyer's fees. pic.twitter.com/mrjGNj1UiI
— BoreCure (@CureBore) September 19, 2023
Kevin and Christine share three teenage children who range in age from 13-16.
Earlier this month, Judge Thomas Anderle ruled in Kevin’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 Christine, 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,” another 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.”
Kevin took the high road after this ruling and declined to badmouth his ex publicly
“You know, when you have a life that long with somebody, there is no winner . . . and it’s this big, crazy thing called ‘life’ and how it unravels so quickly,” he said. “One minute’ you feel like you’re on top of the world, and then you realize how, you know, how vulnerable you are.”
“She’s an incredible mom,” he continued. “We will figure it out, and we’ll share. We’ve just got to kind of convalesce right now.”
It's day two of the custody battle between Kevin Costner and his ex-wife, Christine Baumgartner. The ex-couple is battling over Baumgartner's request for increased child support for their three children. pic.twitter.com/ijrjRS7XQs
— Inside Edition (@InsideEdition) September 1, 2023
Related: Kevin Costner Accuses Ex Of ‘Relentless Jihad’ – She Breaks Down In Court
Christine Files For Divorce – ‘Yellowstone’ Ends
Christine cited “irreconcilable differences” when she filed for divorce on May 1, allegedly blindsiding Kevin with this move.
“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,” Kevin’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.”
Daily Mail reported that days later, the end of Kevin’s show “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,” he 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
This was clearly a very messy divorce for everyone involved, and for the sake of Kevin and Christine’s three children, we’re glad that an agreement has been reached. Hopefully the two of them can co-parent together effectively moving forward.
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