Kevin Costner Found Out John Dutton’s Fate After ‘Yellowstone’ Episode Aired: ‘That Doesn’t Make Me Want to Rush to Go See It’

Kevin Costner recently revealed he was blindsided by the death of his character, John Dutton, in Yellowstone‘s Season 5 Part 2 premiere. In an interview with The Michael Smerconish Program, Costner admitted he didn’t even know the episode had aired and learned only afterward that Dutton’s death was portrayed as a suicide—a twist he felt didn’t fit the character he’d played for years. He mentioned that, while he’d suggested alternate endings for Dutton, the show’s writers ultimately decided how to conclude his arc.

Costner clarified that he didn’t voluntarily leave Yellowstone, but scheduling conflicts with his film project Horizon led the production team to decide his character’s fate without him. Despite trying to work out a contract allowing him to do both projects, the team couldn’t accommodate his availability. This strained departure led to an unexpected and final exit for the Dutton patriarch, leaving both Costner and fans with mixed feelings about how the character’s story concluded.