Kevin Costner admits his tumultuous divorce from ex-wife Christine Baumgartner was very hard on him.
“That’s a crushing moment,” the “Yellowstone” alum, 69, said on “CBS Mornings” Thursday of his split after 18 years of marriage. “It’s powerful and it hurt.”
However, Costner said he has “no choice” but to move forward because his children are “looking” at him.
“So, I can’t wilt like a daisy,” the “Field of Dreams” star added. “I have to go forward, I have to continue to be who I am and keep a special eye on who they are.”
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Costner and Baumgartner, 50, share three children — Cayden Wyatt, 17, Hayes Logan, 15, and Grace Avery, 14 — and for months battled in court over child support payments.
The former handbag designer previously argued that her teens were used to a lavish lifestyle, including going on private planes and luxe vacations, therefore their movie star dad should pay more money.
Ultimately, a judge decided that Costner was only responsible for paying his estranged wife $63,209 a month in child support payments, which was less than half of what Baumgartner wanted.
The exes then fought for a few more weeks over their spousal support and prenup agreement, but finally settled the divorce in September 2023. It was then officially finalized this past February.
The exact details of the settlement were not disclosed, but Baumgartner, for her part, had to pay her ex-husband more than $1 million in attorney’s fees for challenging their prenuptial agreement.
Costner has been open about the fact that the entire ordeal took a toll on him.
In May, the “Bodyguard” actor said he felt “broken” but vowed to push through while working on new projects.
“No matter how much my heart’s on the ground, no matter how broken I may be on a daily basis … I do have a level of responsibility [to those involved in these projects],” he told GQ at the time.
That same month, Costner made a red carpet appearance at the Cannes Film Festival with five of his children for his new film, “Horizon: An American Saga,” in which he cast two of his sons.
Aside from focusing on professional endeavors, the “Let Him Go” star has said he is open to finding love again after months of romance rumors between him and singer Jewel.
Baumgartner, for her part, has moved on with boyfriend Josh Connor, who was reportedly once one of Costner’s good friends.
