“Luke Grimes Prepares to Say Goodbye to Yellowstone”

Luke Grimes Reflects on His Yellowstone Journey as Series Finale Approaches

Luke Grimes has been part of Yellowstone for seven years, playing the stoic cowboy Kayce Dutton, but despite his central role in the hit drama, he’s never been able to fully watch the show. The 40-year-old actor admits he’s seen only a handful of episodes—mostly the season premieres. Grimes is his own harshest critic and has refrained from bingeing the series, preferring to wait until the show concludes before diving in.

Now, with the Yellowstone series finale just a week away, Grimes is ready to press play on the entire journey. “I want to like the show, and I think I will, but it was hard to watch it while I was still in it,” he says. “I’ll give it a couple of years and then go back through it all.”

Grimes’ hesitance is understandable, given the emotional rollercoaster Yellowstone has been through, both on-screen and off. The reported feud between creator Taylor Sheridan and lead actor Kevin Costner caused a disruption in the production of season 5, leading to a lengthy hiatus in 2023. Fans were upset by the departure of Costner’s character, but for the cast, it meant a shift in dynamics—one that made filming the final seasons easier.

“Honestly, the absence of Kevin meant that a lot of the conflict was gone, and that made it easier on set. It wasn’t necessarily fun, but it was the easiest season we filmed,” Grimes admits. “We could just focus on wrapping up the story.”

When Yellowstone returned without Costner, Sheridan reworked the show to place more emphasis on the remaining Duttons, especially Kayce. In the final episodes, Kayce has been making moves to protect his family and carve out his own future, distinct from the chaos of the ranch. In the most recent episode, Kayce even found a way to save the family land, and fans are eagerly awaiting the conclusion of his storyline in the finale.

“It was a running joke on set that the dumb cowboy figured it out,” Grimes laughs. “Kayce is the silent type, always stepping back and avoiding the big decisions. Now he’s stepping up, figuring it all out. It was a nice payoff for me as an actor.”

As the show draws to a close, Grimes reflects on what playing Kayce Dutton has meant to him over the years. “Seven years is a long time,” he says. “I’d never played a character for more than a few months before, so it was a unique experience. I’ve loved every moment of it, but I think it’s the right time for the story to end. The character has reached a place where he wants peace, not the responsibility of a mega ranch or the violence that comes with it. He just wants a simple life with his family.”

While the end of Yellowstone might leave fans longing for more, Grimes believes a proper ending is better than endless extensions. “I get why people want more, but a good story should have closure,” he explains. “It’s the same reason why John Dutton needed to die—if that didn’t happen, the story would have just kept going forever.”

And while Grimes is ready for Yellowstone to end, he’s not done with acting. He’s set to star in Eddington, a new film by renowned horror director Ari Aster, signaling the next chapter in his career. As Yellowstone prepares to wrap up, Grimes is eager to explore new opportunities and challenge himself with different roles.

As for the Yellowstone finale, Grimes promises it’s going to be a moment fans won’t forget. “It’s a fitting end to a great journey,” he says. “I’m proud of it.”