Kevin Costner was spotted with his and Christine Baumgartner’s three kids for first time since he was ‘blindsided’ by his estranged wife after she filed for divorce in May.
The Yellowstone star, 68, was spotted in Aspen, Colorado this week with his sons Cayden, 16, and Hayes, 14, and daughter Grace, 13.
It’s a two-hour flight from Costner’s $145million mansion in Santa Barbara, California — which his wife of 18 years must vacate by the end of July.
Baumgartner, 49, previously claimed in court docs that Costner informed their children about their split over a 10-minute Zoom call without her.
Despite their ongoing divorce battle, Costner looked at ease with his teenage brood as they touched down in Aspen on Monday.
Pictured: Kevin Costner was spotted with his and Christine Baumgartner’s three kids for first time since he was ‘blindsided’ by his estranged wife after she filed for divorce in May
Despite the ongoing divorce battle, Costner looked at ease with his teenage brood as they touched down in Aspen this week
The Bodyguard actor picked up Cayden, Hayes and Grace from a local airport before swinging by a grocery store.
Costner embodied his beloved Yellowstone character John Dutton by rocking a woven cowboy hat and boots.
He styled his Western headwear with a casual blue button-up shirt and light denim jeans.
Costner loaded his kids’ luggage into an SUV and had the help of his personal entourage.
The two-time Academy Award-winner looked happy to be spending quality time with his children and what appeared to be several of their friends.
After their luggage was loaded up, Costner and the crew of teens stoped by a nearby grocery store to stock up on snacks.
Meanwhile, Costner’s estranged spouse Baumgartner was spotted soaking up the sun with family friend Josh Connor on vacation in Hawaii this week.
In court papers obtained by PEOPLE in June, Baumgartner claimed that Costner blindsided their children with the divorce over Zoom despite her wishes to deliver the news together.
‘After a 24-year relationship, from his hotel room in Las Vegas, Kevin told our three children that we were getting divorced over a 10-minute Zoom call without me present,’ she alleged.
‘I am still confused by his motivation to do this via a very short Zoom session, especially since he was planning on being home five days later.
‘He also could have easily come home from Las Vegas to have the conversation in person.’
Christine had wanted to tell their children about the divorce with Kevin.
‘The children’s welfare has always been my highest priority, and I was concerned they would find out about the divorce before Kevin and I could tell them. It was important for me that we tell the children in person and together,’ she said.
She allegedly shared her fears their children would learn about the split via an ‘outside source’ and even gave Costner articles detailing ‘the importance of talking to the children as a united front.’
Christine thought she and Kevin would be able to deliver the news together, but she claims he ended up informing them on his own without her.
‘He disregarded my proposal to do what I felt was right based on research and my relationship with the children. Instead, he insisted that he had the right to tell them that we were getting divorced “first” and tell them privately “without me present.”‘
A source close to Kevin told People the actor’s ex filed for divorce in May while he was filming on location, and explained he ‘FaceTimes all the time with the kids when he is away working.’
The latest Costner sighting comes after Baumgartner recently asked the court to deny the actor’s request that she help pay his legal fees.
The Yellowstone star, 68, was spotted out and about with his sons Cayden, 16, and Hayes, 14, and daughter Grace, 13, on Monday
Getaway: It’s a two-hour flight from Costner’s $145million mansion in Santa Barbara, California — which his wife of 18 years must vacate by the end of July
Claim: Christine, 49, previously claimed in court docs that Costner informed their children about their split over a 10-minute Zoom call without her
Dutton style: Costner embodied his beloved Yellowstone character John Dutton by rocking a woven cowboy hat and boots
Helping hand: He loaded his kids’ luggage into an SUV and had the help of his personal entourage
In court documents, obtained by ET last Friday, Costner had asked that his ex, 49, assist in paying $100,000 of his legal fees. The designer responded by asking a judge to deny the star’s request.
She claimed that Costner would not have accumulated such substantial fees if he hadn’t filed motions to quickly remove her from their $145 million mansion located in Santa Barbara.
Earlier this month, per documents, Kevin was ordered to pay $200,000 in attorney fees as well as $100,000 in forensic costs. He had asked that Christine pay one third of the total of fees – which comes to $100,000.
Baumgartner, however, argued that Costner could have avoided such high fees if he hadn’t filed a motion in July, in which he asked that she move out of his multi-million dollar estate by August.
A court hearing, regarding the legal fees, is currently scheduled for next month on August 2 in Santa Barbara.
The former couple initially tied the knot in 2004, with Christine filing for divorce on May 1 after 18 years of marriage.
She noted that their date of separation was on April 11, and cited the reason for the split was due to ‘irreconcilable differences.’
The divorce filing had left Kevin ‘blindsided’ and the star actually had plans to file for divorce first, sources told The Sun last month in June. He had assumed that the two were going to split amicably and follow steps in their prenuptial agreement.
Since proceedings began, the divorce has been far from amicable, from Kevin claiming that his ex refused to leave the $145 million mansion despite giving her $1.45 million for a new residence, to Christine alleging the actor was trying to make her and their children ‘homeless.’
Christine spoke up and insisted she has no plans to ‘strip’ their mansion in Santa Barbara of items before leaving the grounds – which she has been ordered to do by July 31.
Baumgartner shared in new legal documents that she will be showing photos in a PDF to Kevin’s attorneys of what she plans to remove from the mansion, according to a report from ET.
And that means there should be no ’emergency hearing’ over what belongings will be taken out. Christine said a hearing was ‘uncalled for.’
Also in the filing, it was revealed that Baumgartner rented an ‘off-site’ storage unit to house some silverware, some pots and pans, a Peloton bike, family heirlooms, clothing and personal items from friends. There was also a ‘mother/daughter horse picture’ she wanted to keep.
And it was added that Costner would ‘not be harmed’ by Baumgartner during the removal of her items.
Last week, a judge ruled she must confer with Kevin before taking any property from the estate. She has been barred from taking art, furniture, furnishings or appliances with her, without his explicit consent.
It was also stated that she will be barred from removing any property, apart from her clothing, toiletries, handbags and jewelry from the mansion.
Quality time: The two-time Academy Award-winner looked happy to be spending quality time with his children
They were joined by what appeared to be several of their friends
Costner was seen carting roller luggage to a nearby vehicle
After their luggage was loaded up, Costner and the crew of teens stoped by a nearby grocery store to stock up on snacks
The latest: The latest Costner sighting comes after Baumgartner recently asked the court to deny the actor’s request that she help pay his legal fees
Since proceedings began, the divorce has been far from amicable, from Kevin claiming that his ex refused to leave the $145 million mansion despite giving her $1.45 million for a new residence, to Christine alleging the actor was trying to make her and their children ‘homeless’
The estranged couple seen with all three of their kids in 2015
End of an era: Costner and Christine Baumgartner wed in 2004 and were married four 18 years; seen in 2022
This comes after he accused her of ransacking the home that they had previously shared.
Through his attorney, the Yellowstone star accused his ex of taking his belongings ‘without his knowledge or consent,’ which he claims has increased significantly.
The star also claimed Baumgartner had made payments to her own divorce attorney via a credit card that belongs to one of Costner’s employees, according to documents obtained by TMZ.
The latest bickering between the former couple comes just days after a judge determined that Costner must pay $129,000 per month in child support, which was a little over half of what Baumgartner had been requesting, but more than double what the actor and director said he should pay.
In documents, Costner’s legal team wrote that Baumgartner ‘has shown a disturbing propensity in the last several months, both before and after separation, to take [Kevin’s] property without his knowledge or consent, especially since this case was filed.’
One of the more puzzling claims in the documents is that Baumgartner allegedly paid a criminal defense attorney $25,000 that came from a property fund that Costner had set up.
He claimed that he was unaware of the payment, and the money should only have been used for real estate transactions regardless.
More puzzling, though, is why Baumgartner would want or need a criminal defense attorney in the first place, and the filing doesn’t appear to clear up that question.
The documents allege another inappropriate payment, this time a sum paid to Baumgartner’s divorce attorney Susan Wiesner, which Costner’s team claims was charged to ‘the credit card of an employee which is traditionally used for Costner family house charges and paid by [Kevin].’
They also accuse the designer of getting cash advances on multiple credit cards paid by her ex but issued to household staff members.
Although several of the claims in the filing appear to have allegedly taken place after Baumgartner filed for divorce from the Dances With Wolves star, Costner’s lawyers also appeared to accuse her of having planned out her split in advance with large purchases.
