‘Yellowstone’ cast addresses Kevin Costner’s exit before final episodes: ‘When he goes away, that changes things’

It was his last ride.  

“Yellowstone” prima Kevin Costner near nan show aft nan first half of nan 5th and last season. 

As nan 2nd half of Season 5 is astir to premiere (Sunday, Nov. 10 astatine 8 p.m. connected Paramount), nan stars of nan show bespeak connected his exit. 

“He’s specified a large portion of this show. I consciousness truthful fortunate to person been capable to activity pinch him,” Wes Bentley told The Post. 

The “American Beauty” character added, “And I learned a batch from him arsenic an actor. But he’s besides a storyteller, a director, and he’s besides a really absorbing feline who knows a batch astir history. We had a batch of awesome talks. So, I’m conscionable grateful that I ever sewage to activity pinch him.”

The deed cowboy drama, which premiered successful 2018 and has attracted complete 17 cardinal viewers, follows nan Dutton family, owners of nan largest ranch successful Montana, including patriarch John (Costner) and his big children Kayce (Luke Grimes), Jamie (Wes Bentley), Beth (Kelly Reilly) and Beth’s husband, Rip (Cole Hauser).

Costner’s exit came amid a large wind of down nan scenes drama, and rumors of a feud pinch creator Taylor Sheridan. 

In May 2023, news collapsed that Costner would not return to “Yellowstone” aft Season 5. (This was earlier Paramount said that Season 5 would beryllium nan show’s last.) That aforesaid month, it was announced that nan show would extremity pinch Season 5, starring to speculation that nan show was ending successful portion because Costner was leaving.

“My past speech pinch Kevin was that he had this passion task he wanted to direct,” Sheridan told the Hollywood Reporter successful June, referring to Costner’s movie “Horizon.”

Sheridan’s relationship made it sound for illustration Costner was prioritizing “Horizon” complete “Yellowstone.”

However, Costner had a different story. 

In May 2024, Costner told Deadline that “Yellowstone” had “first position” successful his database of priorities. “I didn’t do ‘Horizon’ because I was tired of doing ‘Yellowstone.’ That’s a bulls – – t story. I didn’t do ‘Horizon’ to compete pinch ‘Yellowstone.’ This [project] is thing I’ve had a agelong time,” he said. 

Costner added that ongoing speculation astir what was happening down nan scenes “wasn’t truthful.” 

The “Dances pinch Wolves” prima said that his movie “Horizon” was expected to “fit into nan gaps” betwixt filming “Yellowstone,” but, he said, “They conscionable kept moving their gaps.”

“I was consecutive up pinch [Taylor Sheridan], and he said what we would do, and I believed him,” said Costner. “And we didn’t get there.”

In June, Costner besides addressed his fans successful an Instagram video. 

“Thinking astir Yellowstone, that beloved bid that I love, that I cognize you love. I conscionable realized that I’m not going to beryllium capable to continue, play 5 aliases into nan future,” nan Oscar victor said. 

“I loved it and I cognize you loved it. I conscionable wanted to fto you cognize that I won’t beryllium returning,” he shared. 

Grimes told The Post about Costner’s exit, “When you suffer a beingness that big…it carries that weight successful nan story, too. You know, he’s John Dutton. He’s nan patriarch. He’s nan movie prima connected our set… So, of course, erstwhile he goes away, that changes things,” he said.

He added, “But creation imitates life and it’s going to consciousness that measurement successful nan story, too. I deliberation successful return, you usage that weight and make it thing very compelling for nan story.”

Ian Bohen, who plays Ryan, 1 of nan ranch workers connected “Yellowstone,” told The Post, “As they say, nan show must spell on. You must do your part, and nan remainder of it useful itself out.” 

Denim Richards, who plays different ranch worker, Colby, said that betwixt nan group play astir Costner leaving, and nan agelong hold betwixt nan first and 2nd halves of Season 5, he wasn’t moreover judge nan 2nd half of Season 5 would happen. 

“For a batch of us, we thought possibly 18 months agone that that was astir apt going to beryllium nan end.”

But aft Costner departed nan show, “it’s nan adjacent man up, right?” he said. 

“He’s been a juggernaut for complete 4 decades,” Richards said astir Costner. “I’ve had nan opportunity to study truthful overmuch from him. Of course, there’s going to beryllium immoderate gaps that you feel. But I deliberation that [creator Taylor Sheridan] has written characters that person truthful overmuch depth, and they’ve been capable to capable successful those gaps.”

Richards acknowledged that location has been “a batch of speculation successful nan past year,” astir what was going connected pinch Costner. 

“But I mean, it’s entertainment, right? Things alteration truthful much…at a definite point, you’ve conscionable sewage to show up and do your job, because there’s truthful galore group that are making different decisions that are extracurricular of our scope.” 

Wendy Moniz, who plays John’s friend and sometimes emotion interest, Senator Lynelle Perry, told The Post, “I’m emotion a small sad, a little bittersweet, but, it feels for illustration it’s time,” astir nan show ending. 

Filming nan past agelong of episodes without Costner “was a small spot different,but mostly because we’re specified a beardown ensemble, and it’s truthful overmuch astir nan storytelling of nan family.” 

John Emmet Tracy, who plays Ellis Steele – 1 of nan characters who wants to move nan Dutton Ranch into an airdrome – said astir Costner, “Clearly, he’s a Hollywood legend. And I deliberation his engagement successful nan show was a immense portion successful making nan show legendary. But, I would conscionable opportunity group are going to bask nan measurement that this bid is going, astatine nan end.”