Luke Grimes Explains Why He Hasn’t Talked to Kevin Costner Since Leaving ‘Yellowstone’
For 5 seasons, Luke Grimes and Kevin Costner played one of television’s most complicated father-son relationships. Grimes starred as Kayce Dutton alongside Costner’s John Dutton, the powerful ranch patriarch at the center of Taylor Sheridan’s neo-Western hit ‘Yellowstone’.
That partnership ended abruptly. Costner announced on Instagram in June 2024 that he wouldn’t return for the second half of the fifth season, saying his work on ‘Horizon: An American Saga’ made it impossible to continue, and John Dutton was killed off when the final episodes premiered that November.
More than 2 years later, Grimes has shared where things stand with his former on-screen dad. In a video interview with USA Today published on October 5, the 42-year-old said he hasn’t spoken to Costner since they stopped working together.
Grimes was quick to explain that there’s no drama behind the silence. He said the 2 simply haven’t talked because they’re both busy and life has moved on. That matches what he said in 2024. Speaking with Men’s Health after Costner’s departure, Grimes said there were no hard feelings between them and joked that Costner is a big deal.
At the time, he added that he had Costner’s phone number but didn’t feel it was his place to reach out, saying the 71-year-old could contact him whenever he wanted. Grimes now leads ‘Marshals’, the fourth series in the ‘Yellowstone’ universe. Since John died in the original series, any return from Costner would likely have to come through a flashback.
Grimes told USA Today that seeing Costner back would be cool, but he doubts it will happen at this point. If he could choose a flashback, he’d prefer one involving Kayce’s late wife, Monica.
He said that kind of scene would feel more poignant for his character, though no conversations have happened. He also spoke warmly about working with Kelsey Asbille, who played Monica across 53 episodes from 2018 to 2024.
Watch the official trailer for the #Yellowstone spin-off series #DuttonRanch. Streaming May 15 on Paramount+. https://t.co/MgE85uxkeL
— Rotten Tomatoes 🍅 (@RottenTomatoes) May 10, 2026
Costner’s exit was surrounded by rumors of tension with Sheridan. The creator has since said Costner was only meant to appear in the first 3 seasons. According to Sheridan, Costner was ready to move on to other projects, but Paramount was nervous about losing him. Sheridan added that the actor ended up staying for 2 more seasons.
On ‘Marshals’, Kayce leaves ranch life behind and joins an elite U.S. Marshals unit in Montana. The series picks up after Kayce suffers a devastating personal loss, now raising his son as a widower.
A look at what’s to come the rest of season 5 on Yellowstone. #YellowstoneTV https://t.co/eUsN11jdgF
— Yellowstone (@Yellowstone) November 11, 2024
The CBS spinoff premiered on March 1 and quickly became the network’s No. 1 new broadcast series. It averaged 20.4 million multi-platform viewers across its first 8 episodes. Season 2 premiered on October 4 and is also streaming on Paramount+.
It brings back familiar faces like Gil Birmingham’s Thomas Rainwater and Mo, while Jefferson White returns in a recurring role as Jimmy Hurdstrom. Many fans still miss the dynamic between Kayce and John. Even without a feud, Grimes’ comments make clear that a reunion isn’t currently in the works.
For now, Grimes is focused on Kayce’s future rather than the Dutton family’s past. With ‘Marshals’ growing its audience, the franchise appears to be moving forward without its original patriarch.
Would you like to see Kevin Costner return as John Dutton in a ‘Marshals’ flashback?
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