‘Bitter Court Battle’: Kevin Costner’s Wife ‘So Angry’ at Divorce, Allegedly Blames Yellowstone For Their Split

From Yellowstone drama to divorce drama, it seems like Kevin Costner is in the headlines every week. And on the ex-wife front, things are getting worse in his divorce to former handbag designer Christine Baumgartner. From rumors that she didn’t approve of Costner’s work schedule, to Costner accusing her of refusing to vacate their family home, there’s a lot to catch up on. That’s why we’ve documented Kevin Costner’s divorce timeline with all the details you need to know, below.

For background: Costner and Baumgartner first met on a golf course while Costner was rehearsing for the 1996 film, Tin Cup, and they reconnected a few years later in 1998 at a restaurant. They dated for several years but broke up in 2002 because Kevin didn’t want more children – which was a deal-breaker for Christine. “Finally, there came a moment where, maybe this doesn’t go forward,” Costner said before he decided “I’m not going to lose her because I’m afraid,” he revealed to People. Costner and Baumgartner were engaged in 2003 and married in 2004 at Costner’s 165-acre ranch near Aspen, Colorado. They have three children together: Sons Cayden (age 15) and Hayes (age 14) and their daughter Grace (age 12).

Kevin also has three children from his previous marriage of 16 years to Cindy Silva from 1978 to 1994, as well as another son from his former relationship with Bridget Rooney. The actor opened up about the struggles of his first divorce to The Hollywood Reporter in 2012. “My faith was shaken,” he told our sister site. “No one wants their marriage to end, and it did. You are going to see the people you love most, your children, only half as much. That’s a huge loss.” According to Forbes, Costner reportedly had to pay Silva a hefty settlement of $80 million.

Kevin Costner Divorce Timeline

Now, Costner is going through a very public divorce yet again. See the full timeline of events below.

June 22, 2023: Baumgartner and the couple’s houseguest Daniel Starr deny romantic relationship

After multiple reports this week that alluded to a romantic relationship between Baumgartner and the couple’s estranged houseguest, Daniel Starr, a close friend is speaking out in defense of Baumgartner. “Christine is anything but some some bored, desperate housewife. As far as Daniel (Starr) is concerned, there was and is nothing romantic between them,” her friend told DailyMail.com on June 22, 2023. The insider continued: “He’s a busy person as well, so to paint the picture that these two had some sort of romantic relationship is a joke. It’s a small town here, especially within the Padaro Lane community. Everyone knows everyone.”

Starr also denied any romantic entanglements with Costner’s ex. He told TMZ on June 22 that “[I’m] just a guy who paid [his] rent.” Starr also added that he tried “to be friendly to everybody.” He stated that he never hooked up with Baumgartner and they were just friendly.

June 21, 2023: Baumgartner requests $248,000 a month in child support from Costner

Baumgartner is asking for $248,000 a month in child support, according to court documents obtained by People in June 2023. The former designer’s attorney listed the amount requested as “248,000 total for all three children.”

In the filing, Baumgartner said that the figure “is less than the amount needed to maintain the children in their accustomed lifestyle.” She is also requesting the Yellowstone actor pay 100% of the private-school tuition, extracurricular activities/sports and health-care expenses for their three kids. No request for spousal support was noted in the request for order, which was filed in the Superior Court of California, County of Santa Barbara.

The documents note that Costner’s 2022 income was $19,517,0641 and their family’s expenses (not including taxes) were $6,645,285. According to People, the net income for the family, after all expenses and taxes, was $7,595,520. Some of the expenses listed include regular travel to locations like the Caribbean, Hawaii and Aspen, as well as the regular entertaining of guests that require caterers or chefs. The upkeep of their properties also totaled to around $2 million a year.

In previous court documents, Costner stated that he wanted to pay $38,000 a month in child support in addition to “100% of certain child related costs, including private school tuition, books, fees and uniforms and school trips, children’s sports, camps and other agreed upon extracurricular activities. He would also cover health insurance, unreimbursed medical expenses and therapy costs for his three children. Costner also agreed to contribute $30,000 a month for a rental home for Christine and a $10,000 advance to help her with moving costs. The court documents reflect that Costner has already paid Christine $1 million as stipulated by their premarital agreement.

June 20, 2023: The Sun reports that Costner and Christine had drama with their houseguest Daniel Starr

Additionally, Page Six reported in June 2023 that Costner got into a dispute with a household guest who got close to him and his wife. The guest was Daniel Starr, a tech entrepreneur and real-estate developer, who rented Costner’s $60,000-plus-a-month beachfront guesthouse, according to The Sun.

A source told the site that “Daniel was really happy living in the house. It’s right on the beach, and he has a 4-year-old son who he wanted to feel settled,” they said. “After he moved in, he became close friends with Chris and Kevin. They’d hang out together with their kids. But Kevin was always away filming, so Chris must have been lonely.” The source also claimed that Starr and Baumgartner “hung out a lot” and she would go over to his guesthouse “almost daily.”

The insider then alleged that “there w as a fallout, and Kevin got wind of it,” adding “There was a row between him and Daniel, and things escalated from there.” The source further alleged that Baumgartner “didn’t like [his] attitude towards their friendship,” so she allegedly “texted him and said she wanted him out.” Costner reportedly sided with his wife and Starr moved out of the property three months before his lease ended.

June 16, 2023: Christine’s lawyer says Costner cannot legally kick her and kids out of their home

Baumgartner’s lawyers fired back at allegations by Costner and his legal team that she violated the couple’s prenup by refusing to vacate their home within 30 days of a divorce. According to documents obtained by Insider, her lawyers stated: “This RFO (request for order) seeks to kick Christine and their three children out of the house that the children have lived in for their entire lives,” John Rydell, Baumgartner’s lawyer, wrote. “Although the legal basis for Kevin’s request to kick his wife and children out of their home is all but nonexistent, this is still a matter of critical importance for Christine,” Rydell added in the filing.

Insiders told Us Weekly that this could end in “a bitter court battle. “Kevin’s a man of strong conviction and stubborn to the bone,” they allege. “Christine feels he should be the one to go,” another source adds. “She’s so angry with Kevin for what she feels led to the end of their marriage — him putting work ahead of the family.”

June 15, 2023: Costner accuses Baumgartner of using his credit card to pay divorce expenses

On June 15, 2023, Costner accused his ex of using his credit card to fund divorce expenses without asking him. In the court documents obtained by Us Weekly, the Yellowstone star claimed that Baumgartner “has withdrawn from my bank account and charged on my credit card a total of $95,000, payable to her divorce attorneys and forensic accountant” since April.

June 14, 2023: Costner and his lawyer accuse Christine of violating prenup when she allegedly refuses to vacate their home

TMZ reported on June 14, 2023, that Costner was demanding Baumgartner vacate their home, and she had surpassed the 30-day deadline to leave the residence. The Yellowstone actor claimed that her refusal to move out violates their prenuptial agreement.

Court documents obtained by RadarOnline show that Kevin and his lawyer, Laura Wasser, are asking the court “to issue an order prohibiting Christine from continuing to occupy his residence,” the site reported. “He said the prenup, signed in 2004, said she would vacate his pad within 30 days of a divorce being filed.” The documents also report that Christine has failed to move out despite “multiple requests that she do so and despite Kevin’s offers to assist her financially in relocating to a new residence.”

“I was married before, and upon separation, I found myself without a home base and unable to live in my own home,” Costner said in a June 8 declaration to the courts, according to Insider. “I never wanted this to happen again. Because of the nature of my work, I am frequently out of town; it is therefore particularly important to me that when I am home, I have a home to go to. Costner continued: “Thus, when Christine and I began discussing marriage in 2003, I made it clear to her that I would not marry again without clarity that my separate property residences would remain mine to live in no matter what happened in our marriage.”

Additionally, Costner said in the court papers that he was pushing for joint custody of their three children. “Because the children will be spending at least half of their time at my home, they will not be disrupted by Christine’s imminent move,” Costner also said in the June 8 declaration. “Christine and I have been working on a summer schedule to ensure that the children have a smooth transition between our two homes.”

May 8, 2023: Sources tell People Costner’s work schedule was “hard on wife”

People reported on May 8, 2023, that Costner’s busy work schedule was “hard” on his wife. A family source told the magazine that Costner “knew” Baumgartner was unhappy and the divorce came as an “unpleasant surprise.” “Christine wants them to spend family time at their Santa Barbara home,” the source told People. “During filming, Kevin is not around very much. His absence has been very hard for her.” The insider also added that his wife did not want Costner to throw himself into another project.

Costner is currently busy directing and starring in the Western “epic” Horizon, a four-part feature film picked up by Warner Bros. and New Line Cinema. Horizon has a demanding shooting schedule of 220 days, which could be contributing to the actor’s tight schedule. Costner told Variety last year that it could take eight months to shoot the multi-film project. The first part started shooting in the fall of 2022, while filming for the subsequent three films will take place in April 2023 “with the trio of titles shooting at the same time.” The source said that Costner’s been obsessed with filming Horizon and Christine “wasn’t happy about it.”

Meanwhile, a separate entertainment source told People that “at times, his career has taken precedence over his home life.” “Kevin hasn’t been home very much for quite some time due to filming, the popularity of Yellowstone, and the time necessary for his other projects. He has been in demand,” the entertainment source added.

Additionally, a source told Us Weekly in May 2023 that “Christine wasn’t happy with Yellowstone‘s schedule delays because it caused him to miss so much time with his family,” the source explained, citing it as “one of the reasons” for the couple’s split.

May 3, 2023: A source tells People that the divorce was “not anything” Costner wanted

A source told People on May 3, 2023, that the divorce was not something that Costner wanted. “It was not anything that he wanted or sought, and if he could change the situation, he would,” the insider said.

In the announcement of their split, Costner’s rep wrote: “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.”

May 2, 2023: Baumgartner and Costner request joint custody of their children

On May 1, Baumgartner requested joint custody of the couple’s three children: Cayden, Hayes and Grace. One day later, Costner also asked for joint custody. Costner also referenced the couple’s prenuptial agreement as well as spousal support, legal fees and properties.

May 1, 2023: Christine and Costner file for divorce

Kevin Costner’s wife, fashion designer Christine Baumgartner, officially filed to divorce the Yellowstone star on Monday, May 1, in Santa Barbara, California, according to documents obtained by Us Weekly.

The couple didn’t provide a specific reason for their breakup, but Costner’s representative did give a statement to People Magazine with a vague explanation. “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,” the statement read. “We ask that his, Christine’s, and their children’s privacy be respected as they navigate this difficult time.”

April 11, 2023: Costner and Baumgartner split up

Court documents reveal that the couple officially separated on April 11, 2023. This was less than one month before Christine officially filed the divorce papers in May 2023, according to documents obtained by People.