This genuinely shocked me: Kevin Costner and Christine Baumgartner settled their divorce, just a few months before they were supposed to head back to court for what looked like an especially messy fight over the prenup. When we last checked in on the Baumgartner-Costner divorce, the elderly family judge was taking Costner’s side across the board, and the judge awarded Christine with significantly less money than she was asking for in child support. They were also gearing up for battle over who will pay Christine’s legal bills, and none of it was looking good for Christine. It didn’t even seem like she had a leg to stand on when it came to nullifying the prenup. So why would Kevin settle? I guess he low-balled her and she just took it, knowing that if she pursued the fight to nullify the prenup, she would end up an even bigger loser in court.
It may be the most shocking turn of events this year … the divorce war between Kevin Costner and Christine Baumgartner is now history, because they have SETTLED UP!!!
As improbable as a settlement seemed, there were signs it might happen. As we reported, Kevin’s legal team, headed up by disso queen Laura Wasser, won a series of legal skirmishes, particularly in the child support department. Wasser submitted paperwork to the court saying Kevin’s monthly obligation should be $63k a month. Christine wanted $248k a month, and after a 2-day evidentiary hearing in Santa Barbara earlier this month, Judge Thomas Anderle sided with Kevin.
The judge also made it pretty clear … the prenup would be enforced, and if Christine challenged it she would have to repay Kevin more than $1 million and pay his attorney’s fees for the prenup fight. Apparently, Christine saw the handwriting on the wall and agreed over the weekend to the terms of a 3-page settlement letter.
The 2 were married for 18 years and had 3 kids together. Christine filed for divorce back in May and asked for joint custody. Kevin also asked for joint custody. We don’t know the details of the settlement, but it looks like Christine’s $850,000 fee request is off the table.
Although the prenup is enforceable, our sources say Christine got more than what was prescribed in the doc … for the sake of settlement.
Yep, Christine got hosed, not only by her ex-husband but by her lawyers too. I thought she had all of her ducks in a row, but Christine and her lawyers were no match for Costner, Laura Wasser and Costner’s bot-farm and crisis management team. I would imagine the settlement was probably little more than twice the prenup payout, meaning $2 million. Much of her settlement will be eaten up by legal fees as well. But hey, at least she’s out. At least she’s free and she can start over. Maybe rent a little beach shack and work part-time at a jewelry shop or something. Man, she really got the short end.
Photos courtesy of Avalon Red.
- Christine Baumgartner, Kevin Costner at arrivals for HIDDEN FIGURES Screening, The School of Visual Arts (SVA) Theatre, New York, NY December 10, 2016.,Image: 512870046, License: Rights-managed, Restrictions: WORLD RIGHTS- Fee Payable Upon Reproduction – For queries contact Photoshot – London: +44 (0) 20 7421 6000 Los Angeles: +1 (310) 822 0419 Berlin: +49 (0) 30 76 212 251, Model Release: no, Credit line: Dennis Van Tine / Avalon
- LOS ANGELES, CA – AUGUST 01: Kevin Costner and family attend the Premiere Of 20th Century Fox’s “The Art Of Racing In The Rain” at El Capitan Theatre on August 01, 2019 in Los Angeles, California.,Image: 536807501, License: Rights-managed, Restrictions: WORLD RIGHTS – Los Angeles Office (PCN): +1 310.822.0419 UK Office (Avalon): +44 (0) 20 7421 6000 , Model Release: no, Credit line: Joe Sutter/PacificCoastNews / Avalon
- Kevin Costner arrives at the 94th Oscars® at the Dolby Theatre at Ovation Hollywood in Los Angeles, CA, on Sunday, March 27, 2022.,Image: 673495574, License: Rights-managed, Restrictions: ©A.M.P.A.S. All rights reserved., Model Release: no, Credit line: LCY / Avalon
- Kevin Costner and Christine Baumgartner arrive on the red carpet of the 94th Oscars® at the Dolby Theatre at Ovation Hollywood in Los Angeles, CA, on Sunday, March 27, 2022.,Image: 673507539, License: Rights-managed, Restrictions: ©A.M.P.A.S. All rights reserved., Model Release: no, Credit line: Valerie Durant / Avalon
- Kevin Costner arrives with guest on the red carpet of the 94th Oscars® at the Dolby Theatre at Ovation Hollywood in Los Angeles, CA, on Sunday, March 27, 2022.,Image: 673539420, License: Rights-managed, Restrictions: Avalon Licensing Ltd. do not claim any Copyright of the attached image WORLD RIGHTS- Fee Payable Upon reproduction – For queries contact Avalon London +44 20 7421 6000 Los Angeles +1 310 822 0419 Berlin +49 30 76 212 251 Madrid +34 91 533, Model Release: no, Credit line: Avalon.red / Avalon
- Christine Baumgartner and Kevin Costner arrive on the red carpet of the 94th Oscars® at the Dolby Theatre at Ovation Hollywood in Los Angeles, CA, on Sunday, March 27, 2022.,Image: 673541629, License: Rights-managed, Restrictions: Avalon Licensing Ltd. do not claim any Copyright of the attached image WORLD RIGHTS- Fee Payable Upon reproduction – For queries contact Avalon London +44 20 7421 6000 Los Angeles +1 310 822 0419 Berlin +49 30 76 212 251 Madrid +34 91 533, Model Release: no, Credit line: Avalon.red / Avalon
- Kevin Costner attends the 2022 Vanity Fair Oscar Party Hosted By Radhika Jones celebrating the 94th annual Academy Awards at the Wallis Annenberg Center for the Performing Arts on March 27, 2022 in Beverly Hills, California,Image: 673570618, License: Rights-managed, Restrictions: , Model Release: no, Pictured: Kevin Costner, Credit line: – / JPI Studios / Avalon
- Kevin Costner attends the 2022 Vanity Fair Oscar Party Hosted By Radhika Jones celebrating the 94th annual Academy Awards at the Wallis Annenberg Center for the Performing Arts on March 27, 2022 in Beverly Hills, California,Image: 673587364, License: Rights-managed, Restrictions: , Model Release: no, Pictured: Kevin Costner, Credit line: – / JPI Studios / Avalon
