Kevin Costner’s Ex Accuses Him of ‘Withholding’ Evidence of His Finances; He Calls Her Requests ‘Harassing’

Christine Costner has asked for more financial info from her estranged husband ahead of a court hearing on child support

Kevin Costner and wife Christine Baumgartner arrive at the Academy Of Motion Picture Arts And Sciences' Governors Awards
Kevin and Christine Costner in 2014. Photo:

Jon Kopaloff/FilmMagic

Kevin Costner’s estranged wife Christine claims the Yellowstone actor is “withholding” evidence of his finances as their divorce battle drags on.

In a request for order filed in California Superior Court Aug. 21 and obtained by PEOPLE, an attorney for Christine, 49, has asked the court to compel Kevin, 68, to produce documents related to his business dealings. 

The lawyer claims the two-time Oscar winner — who shares children Cayden, 16, Hayes, 14, and Grace, 13, with Christine — has been “stonewalling” by not sharing the information ahead of their scheduled child support hearing next week and the November trial to determine the validity of their premarital agreement.

Christine — who is entitled to a $1.5 million payout under the terms of the agreement, which she previously claimed she felt “pressured” to sign — was also temporarily awarded $129,755 per month in child support last month.

“[Kevin] has requested a multi-day evidentiary hearing on [Christine’s] request for child support, at which time the Court will receive evidence regarding [Kevin’s] gross cash flow available for support and anticipated future income. [Kevin] has also requested a trial to determine the validity of the parties' Premarital Agreement, the unconscionability of which will depend on an analysis of how the terms of that agreement compare to the parties' present financial realities,” Christine’s lawyer wrote in the request for order. 

Christine Costner and Kevin Costner attend OmniPeace Foundation Presents Rock Rwanda Benefit Honoring Kevin & Christine Costner at Vibrato Grill Jazz on April 05, 2022 in Los Angeles, California.
Christine and Kevin Costner in April 2022.

Lester Cohen/Getty 

“The Court will need to receive evidence regarding those circumstances to make its determination. However, [Christine] will be unable to present any evidence that [Kevin] has chosen to withhold from discovery,” the lawyer continued.

Christine had initially asked for $248,000 per month in child support. Kevin, whose 2022 income was around $20 million according to court documents, strongly objected in a June 30 filing. He said he could not afford that amount because he expects to earn “substantially less” in 2023 now that he is no longer under contract for Yellowstone, which he said was the principal source of his income. 

Noting Kevin’s statement in their new filing, Christine’s lawyers have said they are also seeking information related to his upcoming film series Horizon "as such documents evidence his future endeavors and anticipated income.” Kevin, they claim, is “withholding” those documents.

As an exhibit included in the request for order, Christine’s attorneys included Kevin’s response to their Request for the Production of Documents, dated June 30, in which he objected to providing the information.

“This Request seeks documents that are not relevant given the parties entered into a Premarital Agreement containing a limitation on spousal support and providing that all income earned during marriage would be the separate property of the spouse earning the income and providing for no community property,” an attorney for Kevin wrote.

Kevin’s lawyer called several specific requests for information — including those related to his businesses — “burdensome, oppressive and harassing.”

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Grace Avery Costner, Kevin Costner, Hayes Logan Costner, Christine Baumgartner and Cayden Wyatt Costner arrive for the Premiere Of 20th Century Fox's "The Art Of Racing In The Rain" held at El Capitan Theatre on August 1, 2019 in Los Angeles, California
The Costner family in 2019. Albert L. Ortega/Getty

In the request for order, Christine’s lawyer called those responses in the June 30 “deficient,” and sought to obtain more information. 

According to the request for order and attached exhibits, Kevin did provide further financial information over the following weeks but has resisted providing information related to Horizon.

“These documents have no bearing on Christine's request for child support and her ability to calculate Kevin's gross cash flow available for child support,” an attorney for Kevin wrote in an Aug. 18 letter to Christine’s legal team, which was attached to the request for order as an exhibit. 

Christine, who filed for divorce May 1 after 18 years of marriage, is also seeking nearly $9,000 in legal fees she incurred while her legal team tried to obtain the information from Kevin.

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