Kevin Costner‘s estranged wife Christine Baumgartner has revealed her plans to ‘enter the workforce’ amid the former couple’s bitter divorce battle.
The Yellowstone star, 68, and his ex, 49, recently attended the latest divorce hearing which saw Judge Thomas Anderle slash Costner’s child support payments to Baumgartner in half, from $129,000 to $63,000, which the mother of three said she considers a ‘complete joke.’
The ruling took place on Friday after a two-day hearing in court, where both the award-winning star and the designer took the stand to offer their own sides in regard to what they thought was a ‘reasonable’ amount for child support — as well as future plans.
During Christine’s time on the stand in a Santa Barbara courthouse, she admitted she had intentions to go back to school and also get a job, per People.
‘I will look into the steps I need to take and any schooling I need to do, and I will enter the workforce,’ she stated while explaining ways she intended to support herself following the couple’s tumultuous split.
Getting a job! Kevin Costner’s, 68, estranged wife, Christine Baumgartner, 49, has revealed her plans to ‘enter the workforce’ amid the former couple’s bitter divorce battle; seen in 2022
Future plans: During Christine’s time on the stand in a Santa Barbara courthouse, she admitted that she had intentions to possibly go back to school and also get a job, per People; seen late last month in Santa Barbara
While Kevin was on the stand, he also said that ‘my world’s been a little shook up’ since his wife filed for divorce earlier this year on May 1 — with the date of separation cited as April 11.
While discussing his next steps in the future, The Bodyguard actor stated, ‘I have to take care of obligations that are already in place, I have a lot of responsibilities I have to take care of.’
‘I need to figure out how I’m going to spend more time with the children, walk them through this process. I am going to need to take some time for myself,’ he explained, adding, ‘I have a lot to contemplate — what I have to do versus what I want to do.’
The hearing last week was focused on the former couple’s child support battle, after Baumgartner had requested an increase from $129,755 a month for child support. At the start of the divorce proceedings, she had initially asked for $248,000.
Kevin and Christine welcomed three children during the course of their nearly 19-year marriage: Cayden, 16, Hayes, 14, and Grace, 13.
After the judge’s ruling, the designer has vowed to fight on ahead of a fresh court appearance over the pair’s combined legal bill of $1.5 million on Wednesday.
The two are due in court to hear who will foot the bill for their attorney fees — with the mom-of-three asking the actor to pony up $575,000 to pay her lawyers and for another $280,000 to cover the costs of experts.
Costner, meanwhile, racked up a $664,000 tab through to the end of July, according to figures aired in court last week, but said he intends to pay his own fees.
Tomorrow’s appearance comes hot on the heels of a two-day evidentiary hearing over child support where Baumgartner asked for her monthly payments to be bumped up from the $129,000 she had been enjoying, to $161,000.
But in a shock twist, Judge Thomas Anderle slashed it to $63,000 — leaving the mom-of-three stunned, according to a close pal.
Speaking to DailyMail.com, a source said, ‘Christine is shocked. She said even Kevin looked shocked. Everyone looked shocked.
The ‘workforce’: ‘I will look into the steps I need to take and any schooling I need to do, and I will enter the workforce,’ she stated; seen in 2019 in Los Angeles
Child support battle: Kevin and Christine welcomed three children during the course of their nearly 19-year marriage: Cayden, 16, Hayes, 14, and Grace, 13; seen in 2019 in Los Angeles
‘To say Christine is disappointed is an understatement. She described the ruling is a complete joke.’
The friend added, ‘Christine said they (Kevin and his lawyers) painted the picture of this shallow, greedy gold-digger and that if Kevin could get past his anger and revenge, he would see how this is hurting their kids.’
‘She said Kevin is ripping her apart from her community by making it impossible to live in the tight-knit neighborhood.
‘Christine said this was never about beach views and Kevin knows this. He knows how much the community means to Christine, and that this is his way of punishing her,’ adding, ‘Christine said the fight is far from over.’
In court, Baumgartner had argued that her new $40,000-a-month rental pad in Montecito was not good enough for her family — saying the children needed beach access to maintain their lifestyle while with her.
During cross-examination, Baumgartner was grilled over whether she intends to get a job to pay for her lifestyle and was forced to admit that she has only got as far as ‘exploring’ the idea.
According to her friend, Baumgartner believes that was unfair, and says she already has full time employment as a mother to the couple’s three children.
The insider said: ‘Christine said Kevin is under the illusion that she wants a free ride out of their divorce, so she doesn’t have to work a day in her life. ‘However, he seems to have forgotten that she already has a full-time job, it’s called being a mother to their three children.’
‘She said if anyone is playing games and making character attacks, it’s Kevin not her,’ with the source later adding that Baumgartner feels, ‘being a full-time mother pales in comparison to being a famous actor.’
Shortly before the official child support ruling on Friday in Santa Barbara, Costner broke his silence on their divorce.
Surprise win: But in a shock twist, Judge Thomas Anderle slashed it to $63,000 — leaving the mom-of-three stunned, according to a close pal
A ‘joke’: ‘To say Christine is disappointed is an understatement. She described the ruling is a complete joke,’ a source told DailyMail.com
Opening up: He told Access outside of the courthouse, ‘This is a horrible place to be but this is where we’re at. It feels so bad, we’re talking about somebody I love on the other side. I just can’t’; seen in February in Beverly Hills
He told Access outside of the courthouse, ‘This is a horrible place to be but this is where we’re at. It feels so bad, we’re talking about somebody I love on the other side. I just can’t.’
The Oscar winner, who stated he ‘probably go to court’ over Yellowstone series, also admitted that he ‘still has love’ for his estranged wife, and that he believed ‘everybody’ wants the divorce proceedings to be resolved.
Along with another court appearance on Wednesday September 6, the former couple will also have a hearing in November over their prenuptial agreement.
The prenup gave the designer a one-time amount of $1.5 million in the case of a divorce as well as and the first year of mortgage repayments on a property of her own worth up to $1 million.
