Kevin Costner’s wealth has intrigued the masses after his ex-wife, Christine Baumgartner, filed for divorce in May. The former spouses found themselves locked in a heated court battle over the child support order that Costner had to pay to Baumgartner – the mother to three of his seven children – and their prenuptial agreement. After filing, Baumgartner requested a staggering amount of child support to keep their brood happy: $248,000, to be exact. Ultimately, Baumgartner’s plea for child support was not honored, as a judge ruled that Costner must pay around $130,000 per month.
Unfortunately, Baumgartner’s substantial financial demands made it challenging for the public to sympathize with her situation, combined with the highly quotable explanation her legal team presented in court. According to Page Six, Baumgartner’s lawyers claimed that Costner’s child support order was inefficient because “luxury is in their DNA at this point.” Given the stark contrast between the everyday person and Baumgartner’s privilege, it was hard for most to scrounge up any concern for Baumgartner’s desire to enjoy the high life.
Costner and Baumgartner reportedly finalized their divorce proceedings in September 2023, though the exact agreement is being kept under wraps. However, we still have a pretty good idea of the kind of lifestyle Baumgartner fought so hard to keep. Let’s look into the lavish lifestyle Costner’s acting career afforded him and his family.
Kevin Costner and his family live like royalty
If Christine Baumgartner’s claims about Kevin Costner’s spending ability are accurate, then the “Hidden Figures” star has created an utterly royal experience for his family. In June 2023, before Baumgartner and Costner settled their divorce, she laid out their family’s extravagant habits. According to Daily Mail, which obtained the court records, Costner made nearly $20 million in 2022. Most of that income resulted from acting endeavors, including his role in “Yellowstone,” which reportedly nets him over $1 million per episode. His expansive real estate investments have also proven to be quite profitable. Costner’s Aspen Ranch brought him over $2.3 million alone in 2022, according to Baumgartner’s filings. He also made another half a million in rental fees for a beachfront property in an undisclosed area. And it seems he balled out with his fortune.
“In addition to our beachfront compound, our family travels several times per year,” Baumgartner revealed in the filings. She also cited annual vacations, including the Caribbean, Hawaii, and Aspen — “usually during the winter and summer.” The couple shared their good fortune by covering room and board for their friends and family, according to the court docs. Additionally, Costner’s ex claimed their main home is worth around $250 million. This doesn’t even account for the substantial expenses they had, such as nearly $550,000 just for a gardener. Costner also has an impressive car collection, including an Audi S8 that costs up to $130,000.
Kevin Costner also finances his own movies
Being able to finance your creative projects is the ultimate financial flex. And that’s exactly what Costner has done. According to The Hollywood Reporter, Costner dropped a cool $9 million on 2014’s “Black Or White.” When asked about his decision to invest in the film, he said, “I do so many things entrepreneurially in my life, and I stare up at the ceiling sometimes wondering how far out on a limb I’ve put my family and myself. But I am really in love with the ‘What if?'”
Although the film only grossed $21 million at the box office, Costner still believes in investing in his creative endeavors. Recently, Costner spoke with Deadline to give some insight into his decision to invest in “Horizon,” a four-part western reportedly costing $100 million to make. After spending several decades trying to secure financing, Costner decided to dig into his own pockets. “At the end of the day, I’m a storyteller, and I went ahead and put my own money into it.” Costner shared. “I don’t know why, but I have not let go of this one.” Costner also detailed exactly how he helped to finance the movie. “I’ve mortgaged 10 acres on the water in Santa Barbara where I was going to build my last house,” shared Costner.