Kevin Costner suing former business partner who helped propel him to stardom for $15 million
Kevin Costner is suing a former business partner who helped propel him to stardom for $15 million, after the latter allegedly refused to relinquish stock in a company the actor is attempting to dissolve.
Costner, 65, asked Jim Wilson to be his partner at his production company, Good Ones Production, in 1992, but is now attempting to dissolve the organization and retrieve stock Wilson acquired in the company, according to People.
However, Costner claims Wilson has refused to turn over the stock.
The actor is now suing Wilson for conversion, fraud, breach of fiduciary duty, and unjust enrichment.
‘Given that Costner and Wilson had not done business together for more than 12 years, and Wilson was no longer an officer of TIG, it made no sense for Wilson to hold bare legal title [Good Ones Production] stock,’ reads the legal complaint obtained by People.
TIG refers to the company both Costner and Wilson worked at prior to beginning their work at Good Ones together.
‘[Wilson] indicated he was not interested in producing any of the projects, not interested in any contingent compensation for any of the projects and did not want anything to do with Costner with respect to these projects. However, he refused to sign the agreement,’ the complaint continues.
The lawsuit alleges Wilson demanded $500,000 for the stocks and ‘made derogatory comments’ about the actor.
Prior to their disintegrating relationship, Wilson and Costner were once firm business partners.
Wilson helped Costner land his very first starring role in the 1983 drama Stacy’s Knights, according to People.
The relationship continued over the years, with the pair working together on a string of hit films including The Bodyguard, The Postman, and Dances With Wolves, which garnered them both Oscars.
Nowadays, fans can catch Costner playing John Dutton in the hit Western series Yellowstone.
He also starred in the newly released drama Let Him Go opposite Diane Lane.
