Kevin Costner, 68, expects his income to drop ‘dramatically’ now he is no longer on
Kevin Costner has said he expects his income to drop ‘dramatically’ now he is no longer on Yellowstone – as his divorce battle with second wife Christine Baumgartner rumbles on.
The actor, 68, is reportedly the highest-paid actor on TV, rumoured to have earned $1.3 million per episode of the award-winning show.
His ex, 49, claimed that in 2022, when he appeared in eight episodes, he earned $24.5 million from Yellowstone and other sources.
But the actor said he is expecting his income to drop ‘dramatically’ now that he has left the programme, in order to make his four-film Western epic, Horizon.
‘I will earn substantially less in 2023 than I did in 2022,’ he predicted. ‘This is because I am no longer under contract for Yellowstone, the principal source of my income last year.
Finances: Kevin Costner has said he expects his income to drop ‘dramatically’ now he is no longer on Yellowstone
Income: His ex Christine, 49, claimed that in 2022, when he appeared in eight episodes, he earned $24.5 million from Yellowstone and other sources (pictured in March 2022)
‘The fixed amount, ‘pay or play’ and episodic compensation I received has ceased.
‘Now, any compensation I earn from Yellowstone will derive only from my back-end contractual participation rights.’ [A star’s percentage of the proceeds, once the show is in profit.]
‘The most recent report from the producer for Yellowstone shows I am not now owed any participation money (although I have disputed this).
‘So far in 2023 I have yet to receive any participation compensation from Yellowstone.’
Following furious speculation about the end of the hit Western series – and reports of a sensational feud between himself and the show’s creator Taylor Sheridan – the actor stated in court documents that he ‘doesn’t anticipate being on location for at least the rest of 2023’, despite the show being slated to start filming on the second half of season five in August.
Earlier this year, it was confirmed that Yellowstone will end after the second half of the fifth season, with Kevin finishing his run as rancher John Dutton in the hit Paramount series to focus on other projects.
However, while production on the second half of season five is due to start in a matter of months, according to Deadline, court documents submitted as part of Costner’s divorce proceedings against former spouse Christine suggest he won’t take part in filming.
In court papers seen by DailyMail.com: ‘I do not anticipate that I will be on location for at least the rest of 2023.’
Success: The actor, 68, is reportedly the highest-paid actor on TV, rumoured to have earned $1.3 million per episode of the award-winning show
Kevin said: ‘The fixed amount, ‘pay or play’ and episodic compensation I received has ceased’ (pictured with Christine in February 2022)
The documents – which contained explosive claims as Costner and his wife of 18 years, Christine, engage in a bitter divorce – revealed that he would be returning to California this month to be with his children.
Doubt has already been cast over whether the show will be able to begin filming again as a result of the writer’s strike, which has thrown many long-running Hollywood productions into a state of uncertainty.
It may be that Costner expects the strike to stretch on until the end of the year, thereby preventing him from filming any Yellowstone scenes, which were initially shot in Utah before production moved to Montana, however his statement in the court documents seems to make clear that he has no plans to travel away from California for any project until at least 2024.
DailyMail.com has reached out to Kevin’s representatives for further comment.
Christine filed for divorce on the grounds of irreconcilable differences on May 1.
The estranged couple share three children: Cayden, 15, Hayes, 14, and Grace, 13.
In the court papers, the actor’s lawyers claim that they have made ‘multiple offers’ to get his wife to move out of the former marital home, a $145 million beachfront compound in Carpinteria, California.
But they say they have failed to reach an agreement with Christine, 49, a model turned handbag designer, leaving Costner effectively homeless.
On June 8, Christine’s side filed a restraining order against Costner which forbids him from taking the children out of the state and transferring or selling any property.
On June 9, Costner’s side filed a request for an order to kick Christine out of the house, a filing known as a ‘preliminary injunction prohibiting petitioner from occupancy.’
In his declaration filed as part of the injunction Costner himself said: ‘Christine and I have been working on a summer schedule to ensure that the children have smooth transition between our two homes.’
He added: ‘Even when I am working I arrange to see the children frequently. I was in California for our son’s birthday in early May and the children visited me May 21-24 in Utah where I was filming.
Home: In the court papers, the actor’s lawyers claim that they have made ‘multiple offers’ to get his wife to move out of the former marital home, a $145m beachfront compound in Carpinteria
‘This month I will return to California to my Separate Property Residence and plan on staying here at least through the end of this year (except perhaps for any vacations). I am a very hands-on father. I drive our children to school, attend their events and am involved in their daily lives. I agree that, when I am on location filming, the children will spend more time with their mother. However, I do not anticipate that I will be on location for at least the rest of 2023.’
Instead he says he will be editing the Horizon films at his studio in Carpinteria.
The veteran actor was said to have been blindsided by Christine filing for divorce.
Kevin is worth $250 million and under the terms of the prenup, signed in 2004, she was to leave his properties if they split and relocate, using a $1.2 million fund to find a new house.
He alleges that his former spouse is in breach of that agreement – saying that he now wishes to move back into the huge house which they shared.
The lawyers said: ‘What is happening now is exactly what he and Christine contracted to avoid in the event their marriage failed.
‘Christine has accepted the benefits of the PMA (pre marital agreement) over the years, but now refuses to accept this one burden.’
Both sides seem to be preparing for a ‘War of the Roses’ style legal battle over their huge $145 million house in Carpinteria, California. It is owned solely by Costner and he bought it in 1988, long before their 2004 wedding.
Kevin is complaining that he needs a home as he will be off location from early June.
Extraordinarily, he says that he was made homeless during his last divorce. The house next door, also owned by him, is used he says as a place to edit films.
He says that he funded Christine’s two ‘failed’ businesses both before and during the marriage, and says that she was happy to benefit from the premarital agreement for years, but is now seeking to ditch it.
Additionally he claims that following their separation Christine ‘charged $95,000’ to his credit card ‘without prior notice to me.’
That money was spent on lawyers and on a forensic accountant.