Kevin Costner is being sued by a neighbor for planting shrubs

Kevin Costner

The 'Bodyguard' actor has infuriated Rick Grimm by planting a series of trees and shrubs to protect his privacy in Carpinteria, California, and has allegedly ignored requests to cut down the greenery.

Mr. Grimm - who bought his house, which is situated behind Kevin's, in 2009 - says he has sent "multiple" pleas to the actor asking him to trim the shrubbery, only for them to be replaced with even taller trees, which block his once-spectacular ocean views.

According to the neighbour, Kevin - who is seeking $150,000 damages for loss of enjoyment and $500,000 for damages to his property value if the trees are not removed - is contractually-bound not to obstruct the views from his property.

However, the lawsuit states the 57-year-old actor made it clear he would not "back down" and would "do everything in his power to secure his privacy."

In addition to his damages claim, Mr. Grimm wants a judge to force Kevin to chop down the trees.
It is believed that rules for the area state that no hedge shall be over six feet tall.

Kevin Costner has won a court battle against actor Stephen Baldwin

Kevin Costner and Stephen Baldwin

The decision came less than two hours after closing arguments ended on Thursday and a jury rejected Stephen's claim that he and a friend missed out on a lucrative contract with oil company BP thanks to Kevin and his business partner in oil cleanup, Patrick Smith.

Kevin said: "My name means more to me than money and that's why we didn't settle."

Stephen and co-plaintiff Spyridon Contogouris, were asking for at least $17 million in damages at federal court in New Orleans, however were awarded nothing.

In the wake of the Deepwater Horizon spill in the Gulf of Mexico, 'The Bodyguard' actor offered BP the services of a device he had helped develop, and BP contracted to buy 32 of the oil-and-water-separating centrifuges in the summer of 2010.

'The Flinstones in Viva Rock Vegas' star Stephen, an early investor in Stephen's Ocean Therapy Solutions, sold his shares before the deal went through--and he was demanding the damages sum to fill the hole left by the money he said he could have made if he had known they were on the verge of a lucrative transaction.

The prosecutors' attorney James Cobb stated: "We're disappointed. We thought we proved rather convincingly that these two guys, Mr. Costner and Mr. Smith, defrauded us. The jury saw it a different way but we respect the jury's verdict."

Kevin Costner hopes Bobbi Kristina Brown has made a "good decision" to star in a reality TV show

Kevin Costner

The 57-year-old actor - who starred alongside Bobbi's late mother Whitney Houston in legendary movie 'The Bodyguard' - wouldn't agree to be followed by cameras himself but is hoping that the teenager's agreement to do so will be right for her.

He said: "I don't want to open my life up like that, but there might be something there for her, and that's all you can hope - that this is a good decision.

"Once that decision is made, you hold your breath and hope it is a good decision."

Kevin - who spoke at Whitney's funeral after she died in a bath at the Beverly Hilton hotel on February 11 - believes there are no right or wrong decisions and thinks those close to her will have thought through the decision.

He told 'Access Hollywood': "It is so hard to navigate your own life, you know? There are no rules for how you are going to survive, how you are going to make it emotionally, professionally and economically. There are no rules any more.

"She has people around her that adore her, protect her, and they have obviously thought it through."