Luke Grimes Hasn’t Spoken to Kevin Costner Since He Left ‘Yellowstone’

Luke Grimes Opens Up About Kevin Costner’s Yellowstone Exit

Luke Grimes revealed he hasn’t spoken to Kevin Costner since the actor’s surprising departure from Yellowstone.

“I haven’t talked to him since,” Grimes, 40, said in a Men’s Health interview published Tuesday, December 17. “It’s not hard feelings or anything. It’s just … he’s Kevin Costner. I have his number, but I don’t feel like it’s my place to reach out. If he wants to, he can.”

Costner’s exit as John Dutton came as a shock to fans and cast members alike. Grimes compared the experience to personal loss, saying, “I lost my father a few years ago. It happened fast and unexpectedly. Life is like that — things happen quickly, and people have to make decisions. In our Yellowstone world, that ramped things up to a boil.”

The end of Yellowstone was marked by off-screen tension, with reports of scheduling conflicts between Costner and showrunner Taylor Sheridan. Costner prioritized directing his passion project, Horizon: An American Saga, and opted not to return for the show’s final episodes.

While Costner moved on, most cast members stayed on to help wrap up the series, and some, like Kelly Reilly and Cole Hauser, are even set for spinoffs. Grimes, meanwhile, is preparing to say goodbye to his character, Kayce Dutton.

Reflecting on Kayce, Grimes appreciated his emotional complexity. “He isn’t that old-school, untouchable western hero. He’s vulnerable, destructible — he loses sometimes. That’s a more modern version of masculinity.”

Portraying Kayce’s struggles, including PTSD, wasn’t easy for Grimes, but he believes it resonated with audiences. “It’s not fun to go there mentally, but it makes him more realistic and a better role model for those facing similar struggles in real life.