Kevin Costner will pay his estranged wife Christine Baumgartner less than half of what she currently gets in child support payments after their divorce judge sided with the Hollywood actor, according to US media.

The Bodyguard star, 68, must give her $63,000 (£50,000) each month for their three children. She had been getting $129,000 (£102,000) in temporary support and had asked for much more, according to reports.

But following the two-day hearing in Santa Barbara, California, Costner told Fox News Digital: “When you have a life that long with somebody, there is no winner… and it’s this big, crazy thing called life and how it unravels so quickly.”

The Oscar and Emmy-winning star of TV’s Yellowstone also described Baumgartner, a model and handbag designer, as an “incredible” mother and said they would work out a fair custody arrangement.

Costner announced he and his 49-year-old wife, who he married 18 years ago, were divorcing earlier this year.

“It is with great sadness that circumstances beyond his control have transpired which have resulted in Mr Costner having to participate in a dissolution of marriage,” The Dances with Wolves actor’s publicist Arnold Robinson said in a statement at the time.

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They got married at his Colorado ranch in 2004 after dating for four years and have two sons and a daughter together.

Costner reportedly spoke at the hearing on Friday about the appropriate level of child support and said: “Somehow in this unusual world we didn’t make it and I’m sorry.”

Baumgartner had originally asked for $248,000 (around £200,000) a month in child support but the judge reportedly ruled Costner’s figure of $63,000 was fair.

He was married once before and has four adult children from previous relationships.

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