Costner Caught in Crossfire: Pleads to Halt Divorce Amidst Soaring Tensions
Hollywood heavyweight Kevin Costner is said to be desperately appealing to his estranged wife, Christine Baumgartner, for reconciliation in an attempt to bring their bitter divorce proceedings to a halt, according to insiders. The "Yellowstone" star is reportedly anxious about the potential public revelation of deeply personal matters.
Baumgartner, a radiant 49-year-old, served Costner, 68, with divorce papers on May 2. She is seeking to dissolve their 18-year marriage, set aside their prenuptial agreement, and demand a monthly child support payment of $248,000 for their children Cayden, 16, Hayes, 14, and Grace, 13.
Costner has reportedly accused Baumgartner of exploiting their teenagers to fund her alleged cosmetic surgery obsession, but sources indicate he would seize any opportunity to halt the financial feud and get the divorce petition withdrawn.
“Kevin has come to realize that financially, it's more beneficial to stay with her," an insider revealed. "However, his pleas seem to be falling on deaf ears. Christine appears determined to fight for what she believes she rightfully deserves."
Insiders suggest Costner was aware of Baumgartner's unhappiness in their relationship, particularly during the periods he spent away from home filming "Yellowstone" over the past five years. However, the impending divorce was not his preference.
Adding salt to the wound, Baumgartner is reportedly prepared to disclose all of Costner's secrets, leaving him apprehensive of what might be revealed next.
The veteran actor is still reportedly reeling from his costly $80 million divorce from his first wife, Cindy, back in 1994. Costner now fears that his financial transparency brought about by Baumgartner's divorce filings – which disclose the couple's extravagant lifestyle, including $444,000 on beach club memberships and over half a million dollars on gardeners – could lead to further personal details being exposed, specifically those pertaining to their prenup.
An insider revealed, "Kevin wants to keep the prenup confidential as it portrays him in a negative light – a domineering, paranoid individual. It’s stated in unambiguous terms, denying Christine any rights, from public declarations to allegations of infidelity rendering their marriage null and void.”
In response to Baumgartner's claim for an increased child support payment, Costner has retorted that his current $51,940 monthly payment is sufficient. He alleges that her demand for nearly five times the current amount is merely a guise for maintaining her lavish lifestyle, which included a hefty $188,000 monthly expenditure on cosmetic surgery last year.
In addition to this, the star is battling to enforce a prenuptial clause, evicting Baumgartner from their $145 million Santa Barbara beachfront property. Despite Baumgartner's agreement to vacate by the end of August, she insists this is conditional on Costner meeting her child support demands.
In recent court documents, she expressed concern that the eviction would displace their three children from "the only home they have ever known." Citing Costner's busy acting schedule, she argues that the children would predominantly reside with her.
Sources note that despite Costner's attempts to reestablish their family unit and Baumgartner's acknowledgement in court documents that they remain amicable enough to cohabit his expansive beachside property, she remains unmoved.
A friend shared, "Christine feels Kevin should have sought marital counseling years ago, and believes it’s now too late to mend their fractured relationship."