Kevin Costner, the celebrated actor famous for his performances in movies such as “Dances with Wolves” and “The Bodyguard,” has openly discussed the difficulties he is encountering during his ongoing divorce dispute with his estranged spouse, Christine Baumgartner. The actor spoke candidly about his situation outside a courtroom and expressed his feelings, saying, “This is a horrible place to be.”
The divorce proceedings have garnered significant attention, particularly due to the financial aspects of the separation. Costner and Baumgartner, who shared 18 years of marriage, are presently entangled in a disagreement concerning financial support for their three kids: Cayden (aged 16), Hayes (aged 14), and Grace (aged 13). While Baumgartner is seeking $161,592 per month in child support, Costner is arguing that he should only pay $60,000 per month, according to People magazine.
During the court hearing, Baumgartner’s legal team accused Costner, who is 68 years old, of having a higher income than previously disclosed. In response, the actor humorously remarked, “Oh good, we’ll have to have a treasure hunt to find it,” as reported by Access Hollywood.
However, Costner later addressed the serious nature of the situation when speaking with the media outside the courthouse, saying, “Were you laughing? I wasn’t. This is a horrible place to be, but this is where we’re at.”
The Oscar-winning actor went on to express his deep emotions, emphasizing the difficulty of the situation: “It feels so bad, we’re talking about somebody I love on the other side… I just can’t.”
Costner also made it clear that he still has love for Baumgartner and believes that everyone involved wants the divorce to be finalized as soon as possible.
Earlier in the week, Costner’s legal team accused his ex-wife of attacking his character in the legal proceedings. They described Baumgartner’s actions as a “relentless ‘jihad’ against Kevin’s character” in legal documents obtained by Fox News on August 31. The lawyers argued that this hostility was unnecessary and designed to divert attention from the core issues of the case.
The court proceedings are primarily focused on determining the amount of child support that Costner should provide to Baumgartner. In the meantime, a judge issued a temporary ruling in July, ordering Costner to pay Baumgartner $129,755 per month, according to court documents obtained by TMZ.
Baumgartner’s argument for a higher child support payment revolves around the desire to maintain a lifestyle for her children that is consistent with Costner’s considerable wealth. Her legal team asserted that given the luxurious vacations the children experience when with their father, child support should allow for similar experiences when they are with her.
In a legal brief filed on August 31, her attorneys stated, “Because the children fly on private aircraft to go on luxury vacations when they are with their father, the Family Code dictates that Kevin should pay sufficient child support to Christine so that the children can go on comparable vacations when they are with her.” They acknowledged that this level of support might not fully replicate Costner’s lifestyle but would provide a relatively comparable one for the children.
The divorce proceedings continue to unfold, with the financial and emotional aspects of the separation receiving intense scrutiny from the public and the media.