Luke Grimes Comments on Kevin Costner’s ‘Unfortunate’ Exit from ‘Yellowstone’: “You Gotta Do What You Gotta Do”
Luke Grimes is showing support for his on-screen father, Kevin Costner.
In a recent interview, Grimes, 40, shared his thoughts on Costner’s controversial exit from Yellowstone. “Whatever happened there is unfortunate if it’s changed anything about how the show will unfold,” said Grimes, who plays Kayce Dutton, the son of Costner’s John Dutton III.
Grimes noted that Costner’s focus had shifted to “passion projects,” including directing and starring in the upcoming Western epic Horizon: An American Saga. “At a certain point, you gotta do what you gotta do, man; you gotta do what you love,” Grimes added.
Reports of Costner’s departure first emerged in February 2023, with Deadline revealing that the actor’s divided attention had caused “frustration” for creator Taylor Sheridan. By May 2023, it was confirmed that Costner would not return for future episodes. Paramount subsequently announced that the show would conclude after the second half of season 5. Originally slated for November 2023, the release was postponed due to the writer’s strike and is now scheduled for November 10, 2024.
Sheridan, 53, expressed disappointment over Costner’s exit, noting that it “truncates the closure of his character,” but still praised Costner’s “symbolic and powerful” portrayal of John Dutton. While Sheridan refrained from commenting on the on-set tensions, he mentioned, “I’ve never had an issue with Kevin that he and I couldn’t work out on the phone.”
