Kevin Costner is like that familiar face you see on the big screen, bringing characters to life with a unique blend of rugged charm and genuine emotion. You know him from classics like “Dances with Wolves” and “Field of Dreams” or his more recent work in “Yellowstone,” where he effortlessly captures the essence of each role he takes on. But he’s not just an actor; Costner’s also dipped his toes into directing and producing, leaving his mark on Hollywood in more ways than one.
The Prenup Drama
In addition to being a prominent member of Hollywood, his personal life has also been in the limelight recently from drama with his ex-wife of 18 years, Christine Costner. According to People Magazine, the allegations are that Christine felt “pressured” into signing their prenuptial agreement way back in 2004, even though the prenup itself explicitly says in big letters that she “voluntarily” and “free from duress, fraud or undue influence” signed the prenup.
Further, Christine claims she “didn’t understand” what she was getting into. Kevin’s lawyers, as reported by People Magazine, responded to Christine’s claim that she “didn’t understand” the prenup by stating, “Christine asserts she cannot admit or deny that she understood the Premarital Agreement because she (and apparently all of her attorneys) do not understand the word ‘understood.’ This is gamesmanship of the worst sort. ‘Understood’ is not a technical or arcane word.”
What’s in Kevin Costner’s Prenup?
According to an article by People Magazine, Kevin and Christine’s prenuptial agreement includes provisions for a $1.5 million payout from Kevin to Christine. This payment is likely structured as a lump sum, serving to equalize the financial assets between the spouses. In addition, People Magazine also received reports of what the prenup marked as “Separate Property” and that included:
- Personal items such as jewelry
- Assets he earned before the marriage
- Assets he earned during marriage
- Assets he earned from the date of their separation
On top of the Separate Property and the $1.5 million payout, there were also allegedly mentions of spousal support, legal fees and other properties.
More reports from E! News cites that the prenup also required Christine to vacate the premises of the home within 30 days, and she violated such clause by remaining in the marital home in Carpinteria, CA.
E! News also alleges that their prenup included a $100,000 payment from Kevin to Christine upon marriage and their first anniversary.
Finally, the prenup purportedly emphasizes in “all caps” that Christine consents to the prenup’s terms voluntarily and without coercion. These details represent the extent of what has been disclosed regarding the contents of their prenup.
Our Expert Opinion on the Situation
Let’s break it down in plain English. What’s happening here is a prenup challenge. Christine is challenging the prenup on the grounds that she did not “voluntarily” enter into the agreement. In other words, she is claiming she didn’t know what she was signing. Many courts across the nation have thrown out prenups based on the fact that one party did not “voluntarily” enter into the agreement for some reason, such as duress. However, Kevin’s team is coming back and saying, “But, look here, Christine, you signed a contract that explicitly says that you ‘voluntarily’ and ‘without coercion’ agree to these terms!” The question becomes, what facts and information is Christine bringing to the table to argue that she did not voluntarily sign the agreement? That is not known at this time. Did she feel forced into signing it for some reason? Did she not have enough time to read the terms? Did she not speak the language that the prenup was written in? Was she incorrectly informed of the terms by a lawyer? We don’t know.
On a separate and related topic, you may be wondering why she would be trying to challenge the prenup if she’s getting a $1.5 million payout from it. Well, for starters, People Magazine reported that Kevin Costner paid his previous ex-wife $80 million in their divorce settlement. (Ahem, that’s quite a lot of money compared to $1.5 million). And Kevin Costner’s current net worth is allegedly between $250 and $400 million, according to Men’s Health Magazine. As you can see, a $1.5 million payout is a drop in the bucket compared to Kevin’s total net worth. In addition, it’s possible that Christine’s lawyers advised her that she would receive a lot more money without a prenup, thanks to Kevin’s high net worth and their lengthy marriage of 18 years.
The Ruling on Child Support
As a side note, let’s talk about the child support situation. No, you cannot put child support clauses in prenups, so there was nothing about child support provisions there. However, Christine notoriously asked for an egregiously high amount of child support… namely, $248,000 in child support per month. Yes, you read that right. However, Kevin’s legal team came back with $63,000 per month, and the judge sided with Kevin’s team, ultimately ruling on $63,000 per month in child support. In fact, according to the DailyMail.com, the judge presiding over the child support issue stated anything more than that would be money “disguised as spousal support.” In other words, it would be way over and above what the children needed, and the extra would essentially be going directly into Christine’s pocket, which is not the intent of child support.
The Battle of Legal Fees
Divorce isn’t cheap, especially not for Kevin Costner. According to the DailyMail.com, Christine was paid over $400,000 from Kevin to cover the divorce expenses. In addition to that, Christine subsequently sought out $575,000 to compensate her attorneys along with an additional $280,000 for a forensic accountant–totaling a whopping $1.26 mil in fees.
DailyMail.com further reports that Kevin’s legal team filed a counter to this fee request and denounced the fees as “inflated” and “unreasonable” and further stated it would be “unconscionable” for Kevin to have to pay these fees. Kevin’s legal team further accused Christine of acting unreasonably, alleging that her frequent legal maneuvers, most of which have proven unsuccessful, have unnecessarily escalated costs for both parties.
It’s unclear what the ultimate divorce settlement contained as for the legal fees, but we know from reports that Kevin paid at least $405,000 in legal fees to Christine.
Was Kevin’s Prenup Enforced?
Tes, Kevin Costner’s prenup was enforced. In fact, sources told TMZ that “The judge [ ] made it pretty clear [that] the prenup would be enforced, and if Christine challenged it, she would have to repay Kevin more than $1 million and pay his attorney’s fees for the prenup fight.” Although the prenup was enforced, TMZ’s sources say that she did get a little more than what was allotted for in the prenup, thanks to her lawyers negotiating a settlement. The moral of the story? Prenups are not easily tossed aside, even when you have hundreds of thousands of dollars to throw at legal fees, as Christine did.
Why Prenups Are So Important
Prenups are important for any couple, but maybe even more so in high-profile relationships, such as those involving celebrities like Kevin Costner. Constantly under the media’s watchful eye, celebs in such public-facing relationships tend to face more scrutiny, where every aspect of their lives, including their finances, are scrutinized. Take, for instance, the public attention on couples like Kim Kardashian and Kanye West, where their every move becomes headline news. The pressure of constant observation can strain even the strongest of relationships. Plus, high-profile couples often have significant wealth, which adds another layer of complexity.
Prenups are crucial for protecting assets, but they do more than that. They also help keep things private, sort out alimony, and even dictate who can live where in the event of a divorce, such as was the case with Kevin and Christine’s prenup (requiring her to vacate the premises within 30 days). With clear rules in place, prenups give a feeling of safety and certainty, which can really help if things go south in the relationship. So, especially for high-profile couples, prenups offer a much-needed sense of security and peace of mind, especially when the public is watching their every move.
Final Thoughts
In conclusion, the saga surrounding Kevin Costner’s prenup illuminates the complexities and challenges inherent in high-profile divorce proceedings and prenups. Despite Christine’s assertions of feeling pressured into signing the prenuptial agreement, the court ultimately enforced its terms, reiterating how difficult it can be to get a prenup thrown out, even when you have hundreds of thousands of dollars to pay legal fees.
Nicole Sheehey is the Head of Legal Content at HelloPrenup, and an Illinois licensed attorney. She has a wealth of knowledge and experience when it comes to prenuptial agreements. Nicole has Juris Doctor from John Marshall Law School. She has a deep understanding of the legal and financial implications of prenuptial agreements, and enjoys writing and collaborating with other attorneys on the nuances of the law. Nicole is passionate about helping couples locate the information they need when it comes to prenuptial agreements. You can reach Nicole here: [email protected]
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