Kevin Costner has finally opened up about the unsettling events that led to his departure from the hit series Yellowstone. The actor, who played the iconic role of John Dutton, shared his side of the story in a recent interview with GQ, shedding light on the behind-the-scenes drama that contributed to his exit.
Costner expressed his deep affection for Yellowstone, a show that allowed him to portray a character he truly loved. Initially, he had signed a three-season contract, but his commitment extended to seven seasons due to his passion for the project. However, the journey was far from smooth.
The actor revealed that production delays, exacerbated by the dual Hollywood strikes and the COVID-19 pandemic, created significant scheduling conflicts. These issues made it increasingly challenging for Costner to balance his commitments to Yellowstone and his new Western film, Horizon, which recently received a 10-minute standing ovation at the Cannes Film Festival.
Costner explained that the production schedule for Yellowstone was often unpredictable. “We very rarely started when we said we would and we didn’t finish when we said we would,” he noted. While he was initially okay with the delays, it became clear that this trend couldn’t continue for him.
With Horizon demanding his attention, Costner found it difficult to juggle both projects. He proposed several solutions to accommodate both, but negotiations dragged on. Ultimately, he was left with just one week to film a farewell for his Yellowstone character.
“The scripts never came,” Costner revealed. “At one point, they said to me that we don’t have an ending or anything. I said, ‘Well, if you want to kill me, if you want to do something like that, I have a week before I start. I’ll do what you want to do.'”
The media quickly seized on the narrative that Costner “only wanted to work one week,” a portrayal that left the actor frustrated. He felt that the production companies mishandled the situation and failed to defend him against the false narrative.
“My big disappointment is I never heard Paramount or 101 [Studios] really come to my defense and say, ‘That’s not true. He was going to do three more seasons,'” Costner lamented. “I started off only giving three seasons, ended up doing five and got embroiled in a thing that I don’t feel one person over there ever told the story correctly, ever, about what I had done and what I’ve been willing to do.”
Costner’s frustration was palpable as he added, “That’s [what] really fucking bothered me, that none of them would actually try to set the record straight.”
When asked if he would ever consider returning to Yellowstone, Costner remained non-committal. He emphasized that any potential return would depend on conditions discussed privately between him and the show’s co-creator, Taylor Sheridan. Despite the turmoil, Costner had nothing but praise for his character, John Dutton.
“I love that character. I love that world. I am a person that is very script-oriented. And if the scripts aren’t there now, I need to know what I am,” he said. “I want to make sure that the character lines up with what’s important to me too. And that’s pretty simple. That’s just between, again, Taylor and myself. Can we ever get there? I don’t know.”
In response to Costner’s departure, Paramount Network released a statement to GQ, acknowledging his significant contribution to the show’s success. “Kevin has been a big part of Yellowstone’s success,” the statement read. “While we had hoped that we would continue working with him, unfortunately, we could not find a window that worked for him, all the other talent, and our production needs in order to move forward together. We respect that Kevin has prioritized his new film series and we wish him the best.”
More than a year after the first part of Yellowstone Season 5 aired, Paramount Network announced that the series had “started production” and was “currently filming in Montana.”
Costner’s departure from Yellowstone marks the end of an era for the beloved series. Fans will undoubtedly miss his portrayal of John Dutton, a character that has become synonymous with the show’s success. As the series moves forward, it remains to be seen how the story will evolve without its central figure.
