According to a new claim, Kevin Costner got into a violent argument with a tech titan who cozied up to him and his wife while renting the now-estranged couple’s guesthouse.
After 18 years of marriage, Christine Baumgartner filed for divorce from Costner last month, and the “Yellowstone” star has since attempted to have her depart their shared house in California.
Before their breakup, Costner and Baumgartner apparently had a falling out with their houseguest Daniel Starr.
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According to the Sun, the actor, 68, attempted to kick Starr out of his $60,000-plus-a-month seaside villa, resulting in a heated altercation and a legal dispute.
Starr, who apparently signed a one-year lease in June 2022, claims he did nothing wrong and refuses to leave, prompting Costner to send many emails and legal letters.
“Daniel was really happy living in the house. It’s right on the beach, and he has a 4-year-old son who he wanted to feel settled,” a source told the outlet.
“After he moved in, he became close friends with Chris and Kevin. They’d hang out together with their kids. But Kevin was always away filming, so Chris must have been lonely.”
According to the source, Baumgartner, 49, and Starr, 42, “hung out a lot” and she went over to his guesthouse “almost daily.”
“But there was a fallout, and Kevin got wind of it,” the insider further alleged. “There was a row between him and Daniel, and things escalated from there.”
The tenant, who created the video game streaming startup GameMine, was characterized as a “respectful guy” by the source, but Baumgartner apparently “didn’t like [his] attitude towards their friendship,” so she “texted him and said she wanted him out.”
Starr, who was only six months into his tenancy, was reportedly “really upset” and attempted to defuse the situation by involving his lawyer.
“Daniel thought really highly of Kevin and thought he was an excellent father to his kids. But Kevin hit the roof and sided with his wife,” the insider claimed. “Ultimately, he wasn’t willing to hear Daniel out.”
Starr ended up shortening his lease by three months and moving out in March.
According to sources, Costner told a judge that Baumgartner is refusing to leave their $145 million Santa Barbara property despite their long-standing prenuptial agreement, which compels her to vacate within 30 days. On May 1, the model filed for divorce.
Baumgartner, on the other hand, said Costner has no legal right to kick her out.
According to court documents acquired by Insider, her attorney, John Rydell, said that Costner’s recent request “seeks to kick Christine and their three children out of the house that the children have lived in 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,” Rydell stated.
Baumgartner was also accused by Costner of secretly spending roughly $100,000 of his money to cause him “irreparable harm.”
Baumgartner is said to be seeking shared custody of their three children, Cayden, 16, Hayes, 14, and Grace, 13, but not spousal support.
According to court filings, Costner has already provided the handbag designer over $1.2 million as part of their prenuptial agreement, and has even offered her a $10,000 advance toward her moving fees as well as $30,000 per month for a rented residence “as part of his child support obligations.”
According to sources, Costner was “stunned” by Baumgartner’s choice to break their marriage and still loves her and their children.
Meanwhile, a longstanding friend affirmed that “there were no issues of cheating at all” despite allegations of an affair.
The couple started dating in 1998 and married six years later at the actor’s 160-acre ranch just outside Aspen, Colorado – which he currently rents out for $36,000 a night.
