Kevin Costner Opens Up About Tension With ‘Yellowstone’ Actor Luke Grimes
Kevin Costner has been a staple in Hollywood for over three decades. While he’s known for numerous films and television roles, his portrayal of John Dutton—the head of the Dutton family—in Yellowstone over the past six years has cemented his place in modern TV history. So when the first few minutes of the Yellowstone season 5 premiere aired, many fans were shocked and disappointed by the direction of the storyline.
However, according to co-star Luke Grimes, Costner’s departure may have actually eased some of the tension on set. “Hopefully everyone can see that it was time,” Luke said. “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.”
A week later, in an interview with Men’s Health, Luke was asked if he’s stayed in contact with Kevin since the actor left the show. “No, I haven’t talked to him since,” he admitted. “It’s not a case of any hard feelings or anything; it’s just, he’s Kevin Costner. [Laughs] He’s a big deal. I do have his phone number—I just don’t feel like it’s my place to reach out. He can reach out to me if he wants to.”
While Luke’s comments weren’t overtly negative, Kevin’s own response during a recent appearance in Aspen, Colorado, raised a few eyebrows. When asked what he thought about the Yellowstone season 5 finale, he laughed and replied, “I’m not thinking about that. I don’t think I’ve given it any thoughts. We’ll just let it go.”
Then came the more pointed moment. When asked if he’d been in touch with Luke, Costner chuckled again and said, “No, we’re done talking,” before telling the reporter not to slip—marking a clear end to the exchange.
Now fans are left wondering: is there real tension between Kevin and Luke, or is it simply a matter of two actors going their separate ways? With post-finale interviews still trickling in, we may be closer than ever to finding out what really happened behind the scenes.
