Kevin Costner has broken his silence, following Taylor Sheridan's decision to kill off his character in Yellowstone. While appearing on The Michael Smerconish Program this week, the A-lister was quizzed about John Dutton's death in the opening episode of season 5B.
"I'm going to be perfectly honest. I didn't know it was actually airing last night," Kevin said on Monday. "That's a swear to god moment. I've been seeing ads with my face all over the place and I'm thinking, 'Gee, I'm not in that one.' But I didn't realize yesterday was the thing."
"I heard it's a suicide," he continued, "so that doesn't make me want to rush to go see it.
© ParamountThey're pretty smart people. Maybe it's a red herring. Who knows? They're very good. And they'll figure that out."
When fans tuned in on Sunday night, they quickly learned that John Dutton had died from a fatal gunshot wound in an apparent suicide. But, as Beth Dutton rightly suspected, nothing was as it seemed. In the final moments of the episode, it was revealed that Sarah Atwood – the girlfriend of John's estranged son, Jamie – had hired a man named Grant to kill him.
Jamie wasn't actually in on the plan, but learned what had transpired when Sarah declared: "This is your kingdom now." He may not have directly ordered the assassination but Beth's out for blood, and knowing how ruthless she is, he better watch his back.
Following Yellowstone's return, fans have openly criticized the storyline on social media, with several stating that Kevin and his character "deserved better".
"Kevin Costner deserved a better ending. Kudos to being one of the best characters in television in the last decade. Nobody will ever come close," penned one.
"Honestly I knew that Kevin Costner wasn't coming back but Taylor Sheridan should've found a better way to kill him off!" commented a second.
© GettyOthers have contended that John's death, while devastating, was needed to propel further storylines, considering that Kevin had decided to leave the show. After joining Yellowstone in 2018, the actor announced his departure in 2023, owing to scheduling conflicts. His exit coincided with reports of a fallout with show creator Taylor Sheridan.
"I just wanted to reach out and let you know that, after this long year-and-a-half of working on Horizon, and doing all the things that's required," Kevin reiterated in May 2024. "And thinking about Yellowstone — that beloved series that I love, that I know you love — I just realized that I am not going to be able to continue season 5-B, or into the future."
