Luke Grimes from Yellowstone Confesses What His Relationship with Kevin Costner Is Like Now

Since Yellowstone wrapped up its fifth season finale on December 15, the future of the franchise remains uncertain.

There have been talks of a spin-off featuring Kelly Reilly and Cole Hauser, along with the continuation of the prequel series 1923. However, no official decisions have been made about how the show and its cast will continue within the Yellowstone universe.

In the meantime, several cast members have opened up about their thoughts on the series conclusion and their career plans following the end of their work on the Taylor Sheridan Western drama. Among them is Luke Grimes, who, after six years with the show, is now looking ahead and recently discussed what’s next for him and his relationships with fellow cast members.

Luke was specifically asked about his current relationship with former series star Kevin Costner, who exited the show halfway through the fifth season due to reported creative disagreements with the showrunners and commitments to his own passion project, the Horizon saga. “I haven’t talked to him since,” Luke, 40, shared about his former on-screen father, but he added with a smile, “It’s not because of any bad blood; it’s just — he’s Kevin Costner.”

“He’s a big name. I do have his number — I just don’t feel like it’s my place to reach out. If he wants to, he can get in touch with me.”

Luke also reflected on the surprise of Kevin’s departure. The character John Dutton, the family patriarch, was written off in the latter half of season five. “None of us expected it to happen like that. There were rumors about blowups behind the scenes or whatever,” Luke said. “But like in real life, these things happen suddenly and unexpectedly.”

“I lost my father a few years ago, and it happened quickly, in a way you don’t anticipate. Life’s like that — things happen fast, and then people have to make choices. In our Yellowstone world, that shift really intensified the story,” he said, hinting at the behind-the-scenes conflicts between Kevin and Taylor Sheridan. Luke added that Kevin’s exit actually made filming easier. “Hopefully, viewers can see that it was the right time. Honestly, when Kevin left, some of the tension disappeared.”

“It wasn’t the most fun environment while those conflicts were happening. I’m not blaming anyone, but that season ended up being the easiest one we filmed.”

Looking ahead, Luke said his main focus now is on acting, music, and being a new father, having welcomed his first child in October. “I enjoy writing songs and acting. My plan is to keep doing both.”

“I have a kid now, so at some point, I’ll probably take jobs for the money. But I’m hoping and praying I can continue working on projects I’m proud of.”