After several months of litigation Kevin Costner and Christine Baumgartner have finally agreed on their divorce. In the end, the actor gave in to his ex-wife’s requests and will pay her much more money than was stipulated in the marriage contract.
As TMZ reported Tuesday morning, the model and businesswoman signed a three-page agreement after a judge told her their prenuptial agreement would be enforced. If he wanted to appeal, Baumgartner would have had to repay Costner more than $1 million and pay his legal fees.
Although the details of the settlement are not known, the outlet notes that Baumgartner’s request to pay $850,000 in legal fees is barred. However, she receives more money than was originally provided for in the marriage contract.
“Kevin and Christine Costner have reached an amicable and mutual agreement to resolve all issues related to their divorce process,” the ex-partners said in a joint statement to various media outlets.
Over the past four months, Costner and Baumgartner have appeared in court to discuss the details of everything related to the separation and division of assets: from Christine’s timeline for moving out of the family home in Santa Barbara, California, to the support payments for the children they have together: Cayden (16), Hayes (14) and Grace (13).
Baumgartner, 49, filed for divorce from the Hollywood star in early May after 18 years of marriage. “It is with great sadness that circumstances beyond his control have arisen that have resulted in Mr. Costner having to participate in a marital dissolution lawsuit,” a representative for the actor said in a brief statement. And he concluded: “We ask that the privacy of him, Baumgartner and his children be respected during this difficult time.”
During a Santa Barbara court hearing to determine child support in late August, a judge set Kevin’s monthly payments to Christine at $63,209, which was the amount he had proposed after she and her attorneys requested $175,057, over to pay the $129,755 that had been provisionally imposed on the actor.
“My greatest concern is that the court will sentence me to support payments that exceed the needs of my children and those of Christine,” the actor said in a statement to the court.
Baumgartner also stated that he is considering returning to school to obtain a college degree. “I will study what steps I should take and what studies I should do and I will enter the job market,” he said at the stand about his future livelihood.
When Costner took the stand, he admitted that his “world was rocked a little bit” by the breakup. On his next move, he said: “I have to deal with commitments that are already pending; “I have a lot of work to take care of,” he continued. “I need to figure out how to spend more time with the kids and guide them through this process,” the Dances With Wolves Oscar winner added. “I’m going to have to take some time for myself. “I have a lot to think about: what I need to do and what I want to do.”
The protagonist of “The Bodyguard” is the father of seven children, has two marriages and several secret romances and was known for decades for his nickname as a womanizer and his long love story. However, everything seemed to have calmed down since he became a couple with designer Christine Baumgartner, the woman who seemed to have come to settle him down for good.
Although the couple initially did not seem to have a great future and the 20 years of separation were announced as an insurmountable obstacle, over time they managed to smooth things over and find a way forward together. “She told me, ‘I’ll wait for you, but I won’t wait long. When you come to your senses, come back to me.’ And I did it,” said the actor, confirming a brief separation that made him think and led to them living an 18-year love story.