Yellowstone wasn’t just a TV show. It became a cultural phenomenon. I lost track of all its spin-offs, sequels, and prequels. It spawned a Western lifestyle craze because the public absolutely fell in love with the fictional Dutton dynasty and their prairie milieu. People could not get their fill of these fascinating characters.
Academy Award-winning actor Kevin Costner, 70, played the family’s domineering patriarch, John Dutton. According to The Hollywood Reporter, there was some pretty nasty drama behind the scenes involving him and another Yellowstone star, Wes Bentley, 47, who played Jamie.
What Was Costner and Bentley’s Beef About?
Per the outlet, Costner, Bentley, and actress Kelly Reilly, 48, who portrayed daughter Beth Dutton, were filming an episode of the show. Costner was allegedly leaning on Bentley to play the scene using his (Costner’s) approach, not that of series creator Taylor Sheridan. Bentley firmly stood his ground. He would not yield to pressure from Costner.
The situation briefly escalated. Someone who was reportedly present said, “Kevin didn’t like that, and he lunged at him. No fists were thrown, but they were in each other’s faces, pushing and shoving and just getting hot until they had to be separated.”
The Unsettling Incident Left Its Mark
According to The Hollywood Reporter, “Reilly, according to one witness, was in tears. Production briefly shut down.”
A witness to the confrontation between the two actors said, “The incident with Wes was the line in the sand. Everything was different after that. Everyone loved Wes and so that really made Taylor upset. Kevin and Taylor butted heads from there on out. It got very awkward.”
Per the outlet, Bentley’s representative called the issue “a work-related argument.” Nothing about it came from Costner’s camp.
Costner Eventually Left the Show
The John Dutton character was murdered, thus Costner made his exit from the blockbuster drama. The actor said in June of 2024, per Cosmopolitan via
“>Instagram,that he was done as Dutton.
“I just realized that I’m not going to be able to continue season 5B [of Yellowstone] into the future. It was something that really changed. I loved it, and I know you loved it. I just wanted to let you know that I won’t be returning and I love the relationship we’ve been able to develop. I’ll see you at the movies.”
