Yellowstone: Kevin Costner’s Voice Change Explained
John Dutton’s voice on the hit series Yellowstone is unmistakable, and actor Kevin Costner went through a voice change to make sure of it.While Kevin Costner plans to exit Yellowstone, the actor has made his mark as the character John Dutton, in no small part because of his voice change for the role. Yellowstone is set to end after season 5, and it will be followed by a spinoff led by Matthew McConaughey. The hit Western series premiered on Paramount Network in 2018, and in addition to Costner, it stars Kelly Reilly as Beth, Wes Bentley as Jamie, Luke Grimes as Kayce, Cole Hauser as Rip Wheeler, and Kelsey Asbille as Monica. Yellowstone follows the Dutton family as they work to keep control of their family ranch in Montana.
Costner gained mainstream success by starring as the lead in several movies throughout the 1980s and 1990s, including Bull Durham, Field of Dreams, The Bodyguard, and Dances with Wolves. He’s also known for his appearances in such modern films as Hidden Figures and Man of Steel. Compared to his film resume, Costner has only appeared in a handful of TV shows, and Yellowstone is his only long-running series. While Costner has played many iconic characters, fans may notice a difference in John Dutton compared to the actor’s past roles.
As soon as John Dutton is introduced in Yellowstone, it is clear that the character has a drawn-out and raspy voice. Because Kevin Costner has been on-screen for most of his life, the way John sounds is quite different compared to other characters the actor has played. In 2019, Costner was interviewed on Good Morning America about his voice work in the movie The Art of Racing in the Rain. Costner admitted he does not like his own voice and that he will try to change his voice for a character, saying, “That’s why you’re trying to invent voices all the time because you don’t like your own.”
Viewers might wonder if Costner’s voice has changed since taking on his Yellowstone
character, but the actor is simply altering his voice for the character. Based on the actor’s Good Morning America interview, it is clear that Costner will change his voice depending on what he feels a role requires. In interviews, Costner sounds more like himself instead of John Dutton. The actor’s voice has not permanently changed because of his time on Yellowstone. Instead, Costner is making an artistic choice to change his voice for the filming of the show.
