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Kevin Costner’s tenure inYellowstoneended abruptly after he exited the series in the last season. The actor reportedly was in a feud with creator Taylor Sheridan and the Paramount Network, leading to his off-screen death in the neo-Western saga. The series finale aired earlier this week with a funeral for Costner’s John Dutton.
While fans were not too happy with killing off John Dutton unceremoniously due to his importance in the series, the cast reportedly did not mind. Actor Luke Grimes, who played Kayce in the show, reportedly mentioned that the second part of season 5 was the easiest production due to the lack of the feud.
Luke Grimes gets to shine in theYellowstonefinale after Kevin Costner’s exit
The opening ofYellowstoneseason 5 part 2 shocked fans when it revealed that Kevin Costner’s John Dutton had apparently died by s*icide. After months of off-screen drama related to the feud between Costner and the studio, which led to almost two years of hiatus before the final part of the fifth season aired, this was how the show would deal with Costner’s exit.
‘Now that scene is just bizarre writing’: There’s No Forgiveness for Taylor Sheridan for Ruining Jamie and Beth After Promising Yellowstone Scene
Since its return, fans have not been too happy with the quality of the series. It seemed like Costner’s exit had derailed most of their plans with the final season although most of the cast maintained that Taylor Sheridan had the ending in place since the beginning. Either way, the series finale seems to have been accepted by fans.
The standout in the finale is no doubtLuke Grimes’Kayce Dutton. The youngest among the Dutton children had initially stayed out of the ranch business but was brought into the fold. While Jamie and Beth hashed it out, Kayce came up with the plan to save the ranch.
Speaking of his role in the finale, Grimes toldEsquire,
It was a running joke on set that the dumb cowboy figured it out. Kayce’s kind of the silent killer, and it’s great whenever he gets to use that energy for something good…So it was a nice payoff for me.
While the future is unknown and there are hints of moreYellowstonein the finale, Kayce’s story seems to have ended as he decides to be a cowboy and live his life with his family.
Kevin Costner’s exit may have derailedYellowstonebut it made filming for the final season easier
The biggest blow toYellowstonefans came up in 2022 when two episodes before the series finale, it was revealed that the show would be going on hiatus due to a feud betweenKevin Costnerand the makers of the show. Some of the allegations made were contract disputes and Costner prioritizing his magnum opusHorizonover the show (viaDeadline).
Kevin Costner May Have Revealed Why Yellowstone Season 5B Is Ridiculously Bad After His Exit: “I left exactly when they wanted”
However, by 2024, it was official. Costner would not be returning for the final season (season 5 part 2) and his character would be killed off-screen. While fans were devastated and the series seemed to have done a last-minute work-around for the same, Luke Grimes mentioned that the season was easier to film. He said to Esquire,
To be really honest, there was a part of Kevin being gone that meant some of the conflict was gone. Obviously, it didn’t make it super fun to be around. Not pointing any fingers, but it was actually the easiest season we’ve filmed.
From the perspective of colleagues who had to deal with a hostile work environment, a conflict finding a resolution without the cancellation of the show was an absolute win. It is justifiable for the rest of the cast to feel that way and it has nothing to do with the nature of the conflict. While Costner has left the door open for a return, the final season seemed to have shut it up.
Yellowstoneis streaming on Paramount+.
Nishanth A
Senior Writer
Articles Published :2417
Nishanth A is a Senior Entertainment Writer at FandomWire, majorly focusing on TV shows with over 2,000 articles published. He has been an entertainment journalist for the past two years and a scriptwriter at various corporations before that, working on educational content. With a Communications, English Literature, and Psychology triple major, Nishanth usually covers news and analyses on Star Trek, particularly Strange New Worlds and The Next Generation; Doctor Who, the DCU, and more.A Nolan fan, Nishanth spends his time exploring the filmographies of various directors with an auteurial style or can be found making short movies of his own. He has also contributed as a feature writer for Film Companion, focusing on the South division.
