Actor Luke Grimes from the show Yellowstone recently shared his thoughts on former co-star Kevin Costner following Costner’s departure from the acclaimed Paramount series.
As the show gears up for its concluding episodes, which will wrap up the narratives fans have cherished over six years, Grimes has addressed the changes in the series.
Grimes has been a part of Yellowstone since its inception, originally appearing alongside Costner. However, reports of a dispute between Costner and series creator Taylor Sheridan have surfaced.
The series was put on pause last year as discussions occurred, leading to Costner’s decision to leave the show earlier this year.
In June, Costner addressed fans on Instagram, saying: “I want to reach out and let you know that after this long year and a half of working on Horizon and doing all the things that’s required, and thinking about Yellowstone, that beloved series that I love, that I know you love, I just realized that I’m not going to be able to continue season 5B or into the future.
“It was something that really changed me,” Costner added. “I loved it. And I know you loved it. And I just wanted to let you know that I won’t be returning, and I love the relationship we’ve been able to develop and I’ll see you at the movies.”
While many fans were saddened by Costner’s exit from the show, Grimes has offered a different perspective, expressing hope that viewers would understand it was the right time for Costner to leave.
In a conversation with Esquire, Grimes mentioned that the atmosphere on set improved in Costner’s absence, saying: “To be really honest, there was a part of Kevin being gone that meant some of the conflict was gone. Obviously, it didn’t make it super fun to be around. Not pointing any fingers, but it was actually the easiest season we’ve filmed.”
Costner’s exit also marked the end for his character, who was killed off in the first episode of season 5 part 2.
The storyline revealed that his character’s death was orchestrated as a murder-for-hire by Sarah Atwood (Dawn Olivieri), the girlfriend of John’s estranged brother (Wes Bentley), who made it appear as though John had taken his own life.
Yellowstone executive producer Christina Voros shared with The Hollywood Reporter that this turn of events was an ‘incredibly brave’ choice by Sheridan.
“I think it is testament to his faith in the characters and the actors who embody them to go, ‘Let’s not make this about the incident. Let’s make this about how these human beings exist in the aftermath.’ That was more interesting to [Taylor] than the incident itself,” she explained.