Luke Grimes offered rare insight into his relationship with former onscreen dad Kevin Costner after their time on Yellowstone.
“I have never spoken to Kevin since we stopped working together,” Grimes, 42, told USA Today on Monday, October 5. “Not for any other reason other than we are both just busy guys and life moves on.”
Grimes said “it would be cool” if Costner, 71, found a way to reprise his role as John Dutton on CBS’ spinoff Marshals.
“I doubt that will happen at this point, I just don’t know,” he noted. “If there was a flashback, I would want it to be with [Kayce’s wife] Monica [more] than John. I think that would be more poignant to the character, but we will see.”
Yellowstone, which premiered on Paramount in 2018, followed the fictional Dutton family, who own the largest ranch in Montana. Taylor Sheridan‘s series prospered for five seasons on Paramount Network before reported tension with Costner led to the actor’s exit from the show.
Yellowstone Luke Grimes expanded with spinoffs such as Dutton Ranch and Marshals. While most of the cast have chosen not to address where they stand with Costner now, Grimes hasn’t shied away from those conversations.
“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 told Men’s Health MH Flex in December 2024. “He’s a big deal. I do have his phone number — I just don’t feel like it’s my place to reach out. He can reach out to me if he wants to.”
Grimes noted that he didn’t end on bad terms with Costner, adding, “None of us saw it coming the way it did, and 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.”
Grimes was also asked about his experience filming the fifth and final season of Yellowstone during an interview with Esquire, replying, “Hopefully everyone can see that it was time.”
The actor specifically mentioned Costner’s absence from the last episodes.
“To be really honest, there was a part of Kevin being gone that meant some of the conflict was gone,” Grimes admitted. “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.”
Costner reacted to Grimes’ comments at the time, telling reporters, “I’m not thinking about [the Yellowstone finale]. I don’t think I’ve given it any thoughts, we’ll just let it go.”
