Kevin Costner’s Ex Christine Baumgartner May ‘Enter the Workforce’ After Child Support Cut Amid Divorce

After a court decided that the Yellowstone actor would pay her less than half of her requested amount of monthly child support, Kevin Costner's estranged wife, Christine Baumgartner, reportedly divulged her future intentions during their difficult divorce.

“I will look into the steps I need to take and any schooling I need to do, and I will enter the workforce,” Baumgartner, 49, testified amid the court battle over the famous divorce, when questioned about how she’ll support herself moving forward, PEOPLE reported.

The latest decision came as a victory for Costner as the judge set his monthly payment at $63,209, which is roughly half of what Baumgartner had requested. Baumgartner contended that Costner should pay more child support since leading a lavish lifestyle “is in their DNA at this point.” On the witness stand, Christine discussed how their children's well-being might be affected after they've moved out of the couple's lavish $145M Santa Barbara home, according to PEOPLE. She remarked that the surf garage is 50 steps from “toes in the water,” and said that their kids are “very connected to the ocean—it's their home."

As she viewed the photographic evidence, Christine said to the judge, “It’s so much more than this — it’s an experience.” She continued, constantly referring to the Santa Barbara property she had left as “ours,” saying, “We've created quite a community.” The mansion has two guest houses, a lawn, a volleyball court, and an infinity pool, according to the testimony given in court.

Kevin, however, claims that the amount is much more than what Christine and their children need. “My biggest concern is that the court orders me to pay child support that is above the needs of my children and for the needs of Christine,” Kevin said in his testimony.

Kevin, 68, reiterated on the witness stand that “my world's been a little shook up” as a result of the divorce. The Oscar winner has previously said that he was "blindsided" by the divorce.

He explained how he intended to proceed by saying, “I have to take care of obligations that are already in place, I have a lot of responsibilities I have to take care of. I need to figure out how I’m going to spend more time with the children, walk them through this process,” he added. “I am going to need to take some time for myself. ... I have a lot to contemplate — what I have to do versus what I want to do.”

Kevin remembered his “epic” first date with Christine and how she informed him that having children was vital to her, despite his own doubts. “She knew that my biggest worry was that I felt like I could be married and divorced again but one thing was I couldn’t be married and divorced again with children,” he told the courtroom. “It was important to her and it became important to me.”