Kevin Costner reveals why he’s “disappointed” with makers of Yellowstone

Kevin Costner starred as the family patriarch in Yellowstone for five seasons, but he was upset the creators didn’t defend him against the rumors surrounding his departure from the series.

In an interview with People, Kevin Costner finally explained why he left the popular series, citing lack of support and production issues.

“I read all the stories,” said Costner. “I was disappointed that nobody on their side… ever stepped up to defend what I actually did for them. There came a moment where I thought, ‘Wow, when is somebody going to say something about what I have done versus what I haven’t done?'”

Taylor Sheridan’s Yellowstone was originally pitched to Costner as one season and “like a long movie” that fit the actor’s style. But the studios wanted more and Sheridan happily obliged knowing he had the writing ability to expand the storyline.

With Costner being a fan of Sheridan’s work, he ultimately stayed for all five seasons of Yellowstone.

But by 2022, rumors circulated on why the actor decided to leave the hit series as its leading character of John Dutton III. Despite loving Yellowstone, the answer was simple, “The scripts weren’t there.”

Rumors included an “ego” problem between Sheridan and Costner, scheduling conflicts, and Costner choosing Horizon: An American Saga over Yellowstone. But according to the actor, he simply couldn’t be left in limbo waiting for a new season.

“There was a moment where that show for me stopped for 14 months… That’s the fact. I could have done a lot of things in that time, but I wasn’t aware that that [hold-up] was going to happen,” said the actor.

Despite his exit, Costner has a deep appreciation for Yellowstone and its realistic take on modern-day ranching. He’s willing to return if the script and scenario were right to “finish the mythology of this modern-day family.”

But ultimately, “In the very end, I couldn’t do any more for it than I had already done.”

Yellowstone is available to stream on Paramount and Peacock. You can catch up on why fans prefer the 1883 Dutton family, the cast returning for the spinoff without Costner, and TV shows streaming this month.