Kevin Costner and Wife Christine’s Divorce Gets Nasty: Inside Cheating Rumors, Fights and More
Kevin Costner‘s split from wife Christine Baumgartner gets nasty as cheating rumors explode and their divorce docs leak
Kevin Costner has a reputation for being a hothead. “There have been plenty of stories over the years about him losing his temper,” a source tells In Touch. So when news broke that he’d had a heated confrontation with Daniel Starr — a tenant who was renting the guesthouse at his $145 million beachfront home — “no one who knows Kevin was really surprised to hear he blew up at someone.”
What is shocking is the alleged reason for the fight. “Supposedly, they got into it over Daniel’s relationship with Kevin’s wife, Christine,” the source says of the encounter, which happened shortly before Daniel cut short his lease and moved out in March. On April 11, Christine and Kevin separated, and two months later she filed for divorce after 18.5 years of marriage. “Kevin and Christine have been battling it out over his $400 million fortune, but now there are cheating rumors, as well. The split was already nasty — but it’s even worse than anyone knows.”
IT’S COMPLICATED
What really happened with Daniel? “Kevin and Christine were both friendly with him,” the source says of the 42-year-old single dad, who paid $65,000 a month to stay in their guesthouse. But with Kevin, 68, away working on his hit show, Yellowstone, and directing his latest passion project, Horizon, Christine, 49, “refused to visit him as much and he got suspicious. He felt she was inappropriate in leaning on other people, and he believes that caused her to file so abruptly. That’s why he released a statement after she filed saying ‘circumstances beyond his control transpired.’”
Daniel swears he didn’t cross any lines in his friendship with the pair. “I am simply a renter,” the tech entrepreneur tells In Touch, adding that having been through a divorce himself, “I’m sure it’s a trying time for their family. I hope Mr. Costner and his wife can amicably resolve their differences. I wish them peace.”
A reconciliation is looking less and less likely. “There’s a lot of anger and pain motivating their decisions, and they are really lashing out at each other,” says the source. Christine refuses to leave their home. “Kevin claims she has to vacate because of their prenup, while Christine is saying she can’t leave until certain financial needs are met.”
MASSIVE FORTUNE
In brutal court papers, Christine argues that the prenup was signed before they had their three kids — Cayden, 16, Hayes, 14, and Grace, 13 — and “therefore, the children’s needs were not contemplated or accounted [for].” To that end, she hired a forensic accountant to dig into the truth about Kevin’s finances. “His empire is vast and spread across many different companies, and, potentially, there are secret investments,” says the source. Kevin claims she used $95,000 of his money without his knowledge to pay for the audit. “Christine is not taking any chances and wants to show that she means business,” says the source.
The report is eye-opening. “I realize our lifestyle is extraordinary,” Christine acknowledges in the docs, revealing that Kevin made about $19.5 million last year and the family spent more than $500,000 a month in expenses. Christine, who estimates she’ll be with their children 60 percent of the time, is asking for $248,444 a month in child support. Kevin has offered $38,000, plus “100 percent of child-related expenses.”
The kids’ needs are her main concern. “The children have rarely been apart from Christine,” according to the docs. “In contrast, over the past four years, Kevin has been away on work for significant periods of time.” Christine even takes issue with the way Kevin told their kids about the split — “from his hotel room in Las Vegas … over a 10-minute Zoom call without me present.”
MORE DIRT?
Christine hints she has other secrets to share. “I did not pressure him to leave Yellowstone,” she claims in the papers, addressing widespread rumors that she did sway his decision. “I have avoided being public about the reasons for our divorce. I have done this to protect our family’s privacy.”
Threats aren’t new to Kevin. “Kevin and Christine have split several times before. She has often given him ultimatums and threatened to end their relationship if he didn’t comply,” says the source.
As the two battle it out in court and in the public eye, friends and even his older kids from his first marriage (which also ended over affair rumors), Annie, 39, Lily, 36, and Joe, 35, “have taken his side in this,” says the source. “The divorce is hitting the younger kids hard because obviously they do spend more time with their mom.”
In late June, Kevin filed a declaration with the courts requesting that Christine vacate their home. “I do not believe that it is healthy for Christine and I to be in limbo or to be sharing space…,” he contends. “Christine has the financial ability to find alternate housing on a temporary or permanent basis, and I have consistently offered to assist her with zero response from her or her representatives.”
It didn’t have to be this way. “Kevin thinks Christine abandoned him and didn’t give him the opportunity to fix their marriage before calling it quits,” says the source. “He really was hoping to work things out to avoid this mess. But instead, it’s only getting uglier.”
