Why Stephen Baldwin Once Slapped Kevin Costner With A Lawsuit
Mariah Carey and Nicki Minaj, Hillary Clinton and former President Donald Trump, Taylor Swift and Kanye West. Those are just a handful of names that spring to mind first when we think celebrity feuds. Two famous faces who don't immediately spring to mind, though? Stephen Baldwin and Kevin Costner.
You may have forgotten that these two actors once got pretty litigious back in the day, and it was all over something you're just as unlikely to expect: the infamous BP oil spill (also known as the Deepwater Horizon oil spill). In case you need a refresher, back in 2010, gallons upon gallons of oil spilled into the ocean off the Gulf of Mexico, per The New York Times, and there was a desperate attempt to plug the leak and save the marine life from its toxic effects. That's when Kevin Costner, yes, the Kevin Costner, was able to step in and help save the day. Costner, according to The Guardian, had invested millions via his company, Costner Industries Nevada Corporation, into machines that could separate oil and water — which proved very helpful in trying to clean up the mess.
But while that all seemed like pretty good news that things were starting to get cleaned up, there was one man who wasn't quite so happy to see the machines come in handy on a personal level.
Stephen Baldwin lost his lawsuit against Kevin Costner
Stephen Baldwin actually filed a lawsuit against Kevin Costner in 2011, in which he alleged he and a friend had been duped into selling their shares in a company that marketed Costner Industries Nevada Corporation's ideas in 2010 — just before the oil spill. The lawsuit suggested, per Reuters, that Costner's team had allegedly not been truthful about the fact BP had been interested in Costner Industries Nevada Corporation's technology before they sold their shares, with Baldwin's team looking for a whopping $17 million from Costner and his business partner. As for why they asked for so much? Well, Baldwin's team suggested that's how much he could have made after the oil spill had he not sold his shares too early, with The Guardian reporting he and his friend sold their stakes in the business for $1.4 million and $500,000.
The lawsuit went to trial in 2012, with TMZ even catching the two stars as they headed into the courtroom to face off. However, a jury eventually sided with Costner's team, meaning Baldwin and his friend didn't receive a dime over their claims. "We're disappointed. We thought we proved rather convincingly that these two guys, Mr. Costner and Mr. Smith, defrauded us," Baldwin's lawyer hit back in a statement released following the verdict. "The jury saw it a different way but we respect the jury's verdict."
What Kevin Costner said about going up against Stephen Baldwin
Kevin Costner seemed pretty happy about the decision made in his lawsuit against Stephen Baldwin, as he told reporters following his big win in the courtroom, per Reuters, "My name means more to me than money and that's why we didn't settle. That's why we wanted to get to the truth of this."
But that actually wasn't the only lawsuit drama that Costner faced in 2012. That same year as he took on Baldwin in court, "Yellowstone" star Costner filed his own lawsuit. That time, it was against producers of his 1991 movie "Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves," as he alleged he had not been paid his fair share of the profits he felt he was entitled to as written in his contract, per E! News. The Hollywood Reporter confirmed the legal battle eventually came to an end two years later, with Costner and his legal team reaching a settlement agreement with the producers. Note to self: Don't go up against Kevin Costner in court.