Kevin Costner Admits Being ‘Scared as Hell’ During ‘Yellowstone’ First Table Read

Kevin Costner left Yellowstone some time ago, his influence remains strong among the cast as the show wraps up its fifth season.

Denim Richards, who played Colby before his character was recently killed off, recalled his first impression of Costner during their initial table read.

“Everyone was gathering, and then Kevin Costner walked in. He’s such a commanding presence, but incredibly humble,” Richards said. “Just as we were about to wrap up the table read and head outside, Costner spoke up: ‘I don’t know about you guys, but I’m scared as hell. So why don’t we come together the best we can, make this happen, and support each other?’ After that, you could feel the tension leave the room. It was truly a beautiful moment.”

Richards added, “This is an Oscar-winning legend. Whether or not he was actually scared, who knows. But his words gave everyone a boost of confidence and reminded us there’s no hierarchy here.”

Costner played John Dutton, the head of a Montana ranch, for five and a half seasons, alongside family members Kayce (Luke Grimes), Jamie (Wes Bentley), Beth (Kelly Reilly), and Beth’s husband, Rip (Cole Hauser). His character was written off early in this season’s second half. Costner had left the show prior to the episode airing due to scheduling conflicts and contract issues, partly related to his film project Horizon: An American Saga.

While the current season was originally meant to be the final one, there are reports of a spinoff focusing on Beth Dutton and Rip Wheeler. Cole Hauser shared his thoughts on the show’s ongoing impact, saying, “It’s been incredible these past few weeks seeing how much people recognize the show and the characters, and what it means to them.”

Though details about the spinoff or Yellowstone’s future remain under wraps, Hauser said, “We’ll see what happens over the next year or so. Hopefully, we’ll keep bringing this experience to people’s living rooms the way we have for the past seven years.”

“I think America has spoken—they still love the show. Every Sunday, countless families come together to watch, and we transport them to Montana to entertain them,” he added. “At the end of the day, it’s just that simple.”