Kevin Costner Shares Honest Reaction to Yellowstone's Creative Decision
Actor Kevin Costner openly shared his thoughts on the series "Yellowstone" and his character's exit during a recent interview. His remarks brought insight into the dynamics of the show’s production and storytelling.
In a conversation on SiriusXM’s The Michael Smerconish Program on November 11, Costner, 69, remarked about the drama's recent return. He candidly stated he wasn’t aware the series had premiered. "I’m going to be perfectly honest. I didn’t know it was actually airing last night," he expressed, admitting to seeing promotional ads yet thinking he wasn’t involved.
Costner then touched on his character, John Dutton. Although he hasn’t viewed the latest episode, he acknowledged hearing details about his character's demise, which he believed was linked to suicide. "I heard it’s a suicide, so that doesn’t make me want to rush to see it," he noted.
However, there's more to the narrative than simple suicide. Show fans are aware that Sarah Atwood, portrayed by Dawn Olivieri, arranged for John Dutton to be killed by a hitman. The hired killer staged the death to appear as suicide for a cleaner outcome. While investigators initially accepted this idea, family members Beth (Kelly Reilly) and Kayce (Luke Grimes) quickly suspected foul play, knowing their father had no prior mental health issues.
Despite not having watched the episode, Costner suspected there would be deeper themes at play. He expressed trust in series co-creator Taylor Sheridan's storytelling abilities. "They’re pretty smart people," he stated. "Maybe it’s a red herring. Who knows? They’re very good. And they’ll figure that out."
Recently, Christina Voros, the director for the season 5B premiere, confirmed that Sheridan was responsible for John's character arc. Referencing his choices, she told The Hollywood Reporter, "It’s Taylor’s world. He made the bold decision." Voros praised Sheridan's approach, highlighting his wish to focus on character development and personal struggles rather than just the complementary incidents.
Addressing his departure from "Yellowstone," Costner confirmed in June after numerous speculations. The rumors of discord between him and Sheridan mainly stemmed from delays in filming and scheduling for season 5B. They had circulated prior to its anticipated November 2023 premiere.
Despite conflicting reports, both Costner and the show have denied any ongoing tensions. Complications arose further due to the WGA and SAG-AFTRA strikes earlier this year. Meanwhile, Costner redirected his attention to his film series, "Horizon: An American Saga," after the initial chapter released in June. Following a weak box office showing, the release of the second chapter faced indefinite delays.
In May, Costner finally clarified the rumors behind his exit, stating that Sheridan hadn’t written any scripts yet when filming was meant to begin. Highlighting his commitment, he explained, "I gave them 25 of my days for this B thing in November and December (2022). The whole month of March (2023). I didn’t shoot 5B. There was no script. And then things imploded."
Sheridan has yet to respond publicly to Costner’s statements regarding the situation. "Yellowstone" continues to captivate its audience every Sunday on Paramount Network at 8 p.m. ET.
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