Luke Grimes hasn’t spoken to Kevin Costner since ‘Yellowstone’ exit as he calls season 5 ‘easily filmed’
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA: Luke Grimes, one of 'Yellowstone’s leading stars, has revealed that he hasn’t spoken to Kevin Costner since the acclaimed actor left the hit Paramount series earlier this year.
Costner, who played the Dutton family patriarch, confirmed his departure in June, marking a significant turning point for the show, People reported.
Luke Grimes opens up about Kevin Costner’s 'Yellowstone' exit
Speaking to Men’s Health, Grimes, 40, acknowledged the distance between him and Costner, 69, stating, “I haven’t talked to him since (he left). It’s not a case of any hard feelings or anything. It’s just — he’s Kevin Costner.”
Grimes also shared that the cast was caught off guard by the drama surrounding Costner’s exit. “None of us saw it coming the way it did,” he said.
Grimes stated that while he's not "pointing any fingers", filming the final episodes of season five without Kevin Costner felt like a "breath of fresh air" and "easiest season we've filmed."
The director of 'The Horizon: An American Saga' consistently cited scheduling conflicts as the reason for his departure. In a June interview with PEOPLE, he expressed his frustration, stating he was "disappointed" that no one "ever stepped up to defend" him against the swirling rumors.
Grimes acknowledged, "Obviously there was news about possible blowups behind the scenes or whatever but just like in life, man, these things happen. They happen fast and they’re not predictable. In life, these things happen and then people have to start making decisions. And in our little Yellowstone world, that helped ramp the show up into a boil."
Grimes admitted that Costner’s absence on set felt significant, describing him as an “icon” and a “big presence.” While he has Costner’s number, Grimes doesn’t feel it’s his place to reach out. “He can reach out to me if he wants to,” he said, emphasizing the respect he holds for the Academy Award-winning actor.
Costner’s departure also served as a narrative turning point for Yellowstone, as the show’s final episodes aired this December. Grimes reflected on how the storyline naturally evolved after Costner’s character was written off. “Him not coming back felt like, ‘Okay, we’re going to have to land this plane now for real,’” he told Men’s Health.
Luke Grimes remarks about Kevin Costner drawing diverse reactions
Luke Grimes' comments have prompted varied responses online, with fans offering differing opinions on the fallout.
One fan expressed disappointment over Costner’s departure, writing, “It was a great show. Wish it could have continued longer with Kevin Costner in it, even if he wasn’t in every episode.” They added, “But he has a lot of things he likes to do, so for him it was time to go. I love it that he brought back cowboys and cowgirls and they wore the western hats instead of baseball caps.”
Another wrote, "Kevin's got bigger fish to fry and plenty of other options. Best of luck to him!"
Another fan added, "If it wasn’t for him you wouldn’t have had your biggest role ever," while others noted, "He’s not his real dad so why would he speak to him."
“They are actors doing a job, not real family,” one fan commented.
"This actor was almost nothing before his the beginning at Yellowstone with Kevin Costner like his father! Now looks like very ungrateful!" a user commented.
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