Kevin Costner has reportedly accused ex-wife Christine Baumgartner of “gamesmanship of the worst sort” as their tense divorce battle rages on.
New court documents obtained by People allegedly show that the 68-year-old “Yellowstone” star requested an order filed in California Superior Court on Aug. 10, asking the court to compel his wife of 18 years — who filed for divorce on May 1 — to explicitly answer a number of questions his attorneys have put to her about their premarital agreement.
His lawyers claim Baumgartner, 49, has avoided answering questions — including whether or not she understood the prenup before signing it back in 2004 — and, therefore, has not been able to answer them.
Gamesmanship in a lawsuit refers to the aggressive and strategic acts of creating additional expense or stress for the other party in order to persuade them to abandon their case or settle on more favorable terms.
This comes as both legal teams prepare for the November trial to determine the validity of the prenup.
If the handbag designer challenges the agreement in an upcoming hearing, she could be forced to pay Costner back the $1.5 million payout he fronted her.
The Post has contacted reps for Costner for comment.
According to TMZ, “The Bodyguard” star’s lawyer Laura Wasser wrote in the filing that “Christine’s counsel asked for a definition of ‘understood’ and Kevin’s counsel provided the dictionary meaning of the word ‘understood,’ to wit, ‘comprehended or perceive the intended meaning of words.’”
“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 ‘understand,’” the court docs read, per the outlet.
The separation has allegedly been exceptionally bitter, with sources saying the actor has sworn to make his Baumgartner’s life a “living hell.”
In July, a judge ruled that Costner must pay his estranged wife $129,755 per month in child support for their three kids — though she originally asked the court for $248,000 a month.
The Emmy winner was also ordered to cover $200,000 in attorney’s fees and $100,000 in forensic costs.
The judge also ruled that the exes had to uphold their prenup, which meant Baumgartner had to move out of their shared family home.
In late July, moving trucks were seen outside the California estate Costner shared with his estranged wife. The U-Haul vans’ final destination was Costner’s oceanfront 10-acre Santa Barbara, California, home about a half-mile away.
That is assumed to be where Baumgartner will temporarily call home while the divorce is finalized.
“Christine is following the legal advice per the prenup and is vacating the family house,” a source told People, adding that she “will stay at a smaller house on the property that’s been used as a staff quarter.”