"My name means more to me than money and that's why we didn't settle," he said shortly after the verdict.

Costner also praised the jury for "doing their best to understand everything" in a complex case.

"They were really smart, and it was my good luck that they saw the truth of the story," he said.

Contogouris and Baldwin sold their shares in Ocean Therapy Solutions for $1.4 million and $500,000, respectively. Baldwin testified he would have held out for much more if he had known BP had committed to ordering 32 centrifuges.

Attorneys for Costner and Smith said Baldwin and Contogouris knew that BP was preparing to order the centrifuges when they sold their shares and walked away from the company rather than gamble for a more lucrative payout if BP signed a binding contract. At the time they sold their shares, BP only had signed a non-binding letter of intent, the defendants' attorneys said.