Here's Why Christine Baumgartner Was So Reluctant to Move Out of Kevin Costner's $145M Home

Christine Baumgartner, Kevin Costner's ex-wife of 18 years, filed for divorce from him in April, alleging 'irreconcilable differences.' The Emmy-winning actor claimed his wife was 'refusing' to leave their Santa Barbara house after they split, even though their prenuptial agreement said that she would have to do so within 30 days. Costner said that Baumgartner was reluctant to leave a seaside property that had three houses and two large lots. After all, they had spent 17 years together raising their children in the $145 million home before calling it quits.

According to the reports, the veteran actor's wife responded to his claims about her refusing to leave his house. Christine, via her attorneys, claimed that Kevin lacked the right to force her and their children out of the only home they had ever known. Her lawyer stated in court, "This RFO (request for order) seeks to kick Christine and their three children out of the house that the children have lived in for their entire lives... Although the legal basis for Kevin's request to kick his wife and children out of their home is all but nonexistent, this is still a matter of critical importance for Christine."

During a subsequent court filing, Christine claimed she said she would be willing to leave their Santa Barbara beach property if the actor would agree to pay her $248,000 per month in child support, as per The Things. She further added in the June filing, "He canceled one of my credit cards, and substantially reduced my credit limit on my second credit card far below the status quo levels, all without any advance notice to me. Since the initiation of this divorce, I have repeatedly told Kevin (both directly and through counsel) that I would move out once a child support order or agreement was in place. And I have taken steps to demonstrate my commitment to doing so by investigating available housing options," reports Insider.

On the other hand, Costner's court papers conveyed a completely different story. The papers stated, "Christine has taken the position that she will not move out of Kevin's separate property residence unless and until Kevin agrees to various financial demands." The 68-year-old actor claimed via his attorney, Laura Wasser, that he had already given Baumgartner $1 million for a new home and that he gave her an extra $200,000 in the early years of their marriage as part of the prenuptial agreement.

In addition, he added that Baumgartner had charged $95,000 in legal expenses and a forensic accountant to his credit card without any prior notice. According to the court documents as per Insider, they both agreed that Costner would pay $200,000 toward a down payment on a new house and cover her mortgage, property tax, and insurance for one year. After his previous marriage dissolved, Costner said in the paperwork that he was unable to find permanent housing and vowed not to let that happen again in the event of a breakdown in his relationship with Baumgartner. Since he was often out of town shooting, he said, having a place to call home where he could rest and recharge was vital.

Editor's note: This article was originally published on September 18, 2023. It has since been updated.