Christine Baumgartner vs Kevin Costner: 'Yellowstone' star claims ex has a 'boyfriend' who gave her $20K
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA: Kevin Costner's ex Christine Baumgartner testified in court that the man she was spotted in Hawaii with last month is not her boyfriend.
The 68-year-old 'Yellowstone' actor and 49-year-old Baumgartner were both present at a divorce hearing on Thursday (August 31) in Santa Barbara, where the actor's estranged wife gave emotional testimony.
Where did Christine Baumgartner go on a trip with Kevin Costner's friend?
Christine spoke about her July trip to Hawaii, where she was photographed with Costner's longtime banker friend Josh Connor, a wealthy investor who lives close to the celebrity's mansion in Carpinteria, California, during her time on the stand, as reported by Daily Mail.
Did Josh Connor give $20K to Christine Baumgartner?
Kevin Costner's estranged wife, Christine Baumgartner, is vacationing on the Big Island of Hawaii with one of Kevin's friends ... TMZ has learned. #joshconnor pic.twitter.com/P7JqMTvlsg
— Black AF News (@blackafnews) July 21, 2023
Christine acknowledged that, despite Josh giving her $20,000, the two are not romantically involved and that, while in Hawaii, she shared a room with a female best friend.
Baumgartner, who was visibly upset, was persuaded to explain to Connor—whom she described as a "family friend"—the reasons for her two recent trips to Hawaii, which she took in March and July.
Longtime friend and recent divorcee from his wife Patricia, Connor, a resident of Santa Barbara, is a close friend of Costner's.
Is Christine Baumgartner dating Josh Connor?
In court documents submitted on Thursday, Costner claimed that his estranged wife was having an affair with him, but when Baumgartner's attorney directly asked her if he was her boyfriend, she firmly denied it.
She was also inquired about $2000. Her mother received $10,000, which Connor gave her and claimed in court, "because she was worried about her house."
She tearfully confessed that Costner had been paying her mother $5000 per month "for years," but the payments had stopped when they had split up.
Because "I don't need it right now," according to Baumgartner, she has since returned the additional $10,000 to Connor.
Christine and Josh were seen together last month strolling along the coast and lounging in the sun on the beach.
The two appeared to be having a great time, and Connor and Christine both had broad smiles on their faces.
As per the sources, Christine, "sat with the guy at a corner table. He had a good look. " She was laughing a lot at what he was saying when they first sat down across from one another at the table.
The source added, "She was showing him photos from her phone, and he moved to the seat next to her so they were both facing the water. It’s hard to say if there was anything going on with them, but he did put his hand on her leg at one point that I saw. That was the only actual physical interaction."
The source added, "Her suite is right next to the guy’s suite. He had the drinks charged to his room and they left together right before sunset."
Since when was Josh Connor Christine Baumgartner's close friend?
According to sources familiar with the drama surrounding Kevin and Christine's divorce, she and Josh have recently become especially close.
One insider, however, asserted that the two have "absolutely no romantic relationship." They have been close friends for a long time, the source continued.
As Baumgartner described the couple's extravagant $11 million per year lifestyle, which includes a $175 million beachfront home and a 160,000-acre ranch in Aspen, she started to cry on the witness stand.
Earlier, Costner was quoted as saying that his ex-wife has waged a "relentless jihad" against him because she has grown so unreasonable during their divorce proceedings.