LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA: After their acrimonious divorce recently reached a boiling point, Kevin Costner and his ex-wife Christine Baumgartner may have finally struck a settlement. As Baumgartner prepares to leave Costner's California compound, the actor is not making the exit smooth. Costner has refused to pay $248,000 a month in child support to Baumgartner, who is the mother of three, as he is no longer "under contract" for 'Yellowstone'.
Since the family drama's 2018 debut, Costner has played patriarch John Dutton on the show. He said a "recent report from the producer for 'Yellowstone' showed he was not owed any participation money" — a claim he has since "disputed" and that he has not received any compensation from the series this year.
'I will earn substantially less in 2023 than I did in 2022'
Costner, 68, stated in documents filed on Wednesday, June 28, "I will earn substantially less in 2023 than I did in 2022. This is because I am no longer under contract for Yellowstone, the principal source of my income last year. The fixed amount of' pay or play' and episodic compensation I received has ceased. Now, any compensation I earn from Yellowstone will derive only from my back-end contractual participation rights, which amounts are not fixed."
The first half of 'Yellowstone' Season 5 ended in January, and was formally confirmed by Paramount Network in May. The second half of the season was initially scheduled to debut in the summer but was postponed to the fall. It had been rumored for months that Taylor Sheridan and Costner were at odds, with Costner purportedly wanting to leave the show. It has not yet been determined to what extent Costner will appear in the final episodes of 'Yellowstone,' as reported by USmagazine.
Baumgartner, 49, who filed for divorce from Costner in May, claimed that her estranged husband earns an estimated $1,537,000 per month from his many acting and directing roles. She stated that the family's monthly costs, which Costner had covered, were more than $550,000 and that she lacked the money to support the family's existing standard of living. She submitted the application after Costner launched a lawsuit to have her removed from their shared residence.
Costner stated that his income is 'variable and can change quite dramatically'
However, Costner said in the documents released on Wednesday that by "looking only at last year's income," his estranged wife "did not give a true picture of my cash flow." Costner stated that his income is "variable and can change quite dramatically" depending on the year due to the nature of his line of work. She asked for $248,000 a month, which he described as "astonishing" and beyond his means. Furthermore, he said, "Nor can I afford to pay those amounts and pay my living and business expenses without liquidating assets."
Costner, who has three children with Baumgartner -- Cayden (16), Hayden (14), and Grace (13), stated in his filing that he told his estranged wife that 2023 "would be a difficult year financially" if he wasn't working on 'Yellowstone' and that he would likely have to "defer my salary on the Horizon film projects to the back-end (which I did)." Christine told me she understood," as per reports.
The 'Horizon Saga' is a forthcoming American epic Western film co-written, produced, and directed by Costner. It stars Sienna Miller, Sam Worthington, Luke Wilson, and Thomas Haden Church. Three sequels of the show have already been approved, with the first beginning production in August 2022. Costner stated in May that filming on the sequel has begun.
