During his child support hearing with ex Christine Baumgartner earlier this month, Costner, 68, testified that his “biggest concern” right now “despite the cash he has [is that] he could run out of money.”
According to court documents obtained by Us Weekly, Costner went on to describe himself as a “bit of a unicorn in the [entertainment] business” who “uses his own money” to finance his projects.
Costner is currently at work on Horizon, a four-part film series set in the American West. The first movie wrapped production last year, and filming for the second is currently underway. Earlier this year, Costner revealed that he took out a mortgage on one of his California properties to finance the project.
“I’ve mortgaged 10 acres on the water in Santa Barbara where I was going to build my last house,” he told Deadline in May. “But I did it without a thought. It has thrown my accountant into a f–king conniption fit. But it’s my life, and I believe in the idea and the story.”
A source previously told Us that Costner “won’t settle for anything less than perfection when it comes to Horizon,” explaining, “He wants it to be his biggest success since the days of Dances With Wolves. He’s thrown everything he has into making it.”
Ahead of the child support hearing, forensic accounts determined that Costner’s income during Yellowstone “was a complete aberration and provided Kevin with an unusually high level of income — a level he has never had in the past.” According to their calculations, his “average cash flow” for the 30 months preceding June 30 was $1,308,920 per month with his Yellowstone earnings. Without the show, however, he earned $468,136 per month.
“The enormous difference in those figures establishes Kevin’s point, i.e., that Yellowstone was a once-in-a-lifetime event, and that going forward, his income will not reach that level — ever,” Costner’s legal team wrote.
Costner and Baumgartner, 49, have been battling it out since Baumgartner filed for divorce in May after nearly 19 years of marriage. The estranged couple share three children: sons Cayden, 16, and Hayes, 14, and daughter Grace, 13. (Costner also shares adult daughters Annie, 39, and Lily, 36, and son Joe, 35, with ex-wife Cindy Silva and son Liam, 27, with ex Bridget Rooney.)
Baumgartner initially requested $248,000 per month in child support from her ex. A temporary order required Costner to pay $129,755 per month, but at the latest hearing on Friday, September 1, the judge set the payments at $63,209 per month.
In her initial request for support, Baumgartner’s lawyers laid out some of the family’s staggering expenses. According to docs obtained by Us in June, the estranged duo spent $830,000 on gifts over the past year and $238,000 on medical costs, while nearly $100,000 went to gardeners and a ranch manager. The pair also dropped nearly $22,000 on spa services, $34,000 on golf and club dues, $84,000 on household help, $64,000 on cleaning, $12,000 on hunting dues, $41,000 on food and nearly $13,000 on a personal trainer.
Baumgartner claimed that her child support request was so high because she wanted the kids to maintain a “comparable” lifestyle with her as they have when they’re with their father.
“The Court order must allow the children to be supported at a level commensurate with Kevin’s considerable wealth, even if that level of support also improves the standard of living of Christine,” Baumgartner’s lawyers wrote in a brief filed last month. “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.”
Costner addressed the divorce for the first time while leaving court on Friday, telling reporters: “This is a horrible place to be, but this is where we’re at.” When asked if he still “has love” for Baumgartner, Costner replied, “Of course,” adding that he thinks “everybody” involved wants the legal battle to resolve quickly.