After years of starring as the iconic head of the Dutton family, i.e. John Dutton in Yellowstone, Kevin Costner has left the fan-favorite show, though it wasn’t without much drama intervening in between. However, this twisted tale is even more complex than Taylor Sheridan’s saga, considering how it has taken yet another surprising turn about whom to blame for his exit.
Stunningly enough, as compared to all the other reasons that stated that a feud ensuing between him and Sheridan was the real reason why he left, this time, Costner has set the record straight through one statement that has inevitably implied that the mastermind showrunner Sheridan is actually not the one to blame for his exit, but rather the studios are.
Kevin Costner Implies Taylor Sheridan Isn’t the Reason Why He Left Yellowstone
Previously, a lot of comments had been going around claiming that the reason behind the iconic John Dutton portrayer leaving the Dutton family ranch was a feud between Costner and Sheridan. However, The Bodyguard actor seems to have set the record straight with his recent statement.
During an interview with Deadline while promoting his upcoming Western Horizon: An American Saga, Costner explained the situation in a pretty blunt manner, claiming he didn’t “want to get down in the gutter” with his ugly exit from the show, “but what I’m telling you is straight up.”
The Dances with Wolves actor said:
“I have taken a beating from those f—ing guys and I know a lot of times where it’s coming from. I just elected not to get into that. But if you know me well enough, I made Yellowstone the first priority, and to insinuate anything else would be wrong.”
Okay, that was straightforward for sure. But surprisingly enough, he wasn’t talking about Taylor Sheridan in that comment. Instead, he actually implied to the showrunner as “this poor guy” in his next statement as he said:
“I did not initiate any of those things. They did. They were doing a tap dance and this poor guy was also having to write so much. I don’t know why they didn’t stick up for me.”
So, the problem wasn’t between Costner and Sheridan, but rather, between Costner and the producing studios?
Judging from his statement, that’s exactly what it seems like because even the cowboy showrunner has previously complained about how the studios forced him to continue a storyline that he had already put an end to.
That said, Costner has also made it evident that he won’t sit quietly on the matter anymore, according to what he continued to say during the same interview.
Kevin Costner Seemingly Won’t Sit Quiet Anymore on this Yellowstone Drama
During the same interview, Kevin Costner also got candid about how he is going to “address” all of these “realistic question(s)” related to his ugly exit from Sheridan’s superhit Western drama series.
“You asked me the question, I’m going to answer it. I don’t do press outside my movies. I don’t live in the press, in between. Now I’m promoting my movie. I could say ‘no comment’ all the way through. I won’t say my life is fair game or that any questions are fair game, but this is a realistic question. I will address it.”
With all of this being said, it seems like now the actual beacon of blame for Costner’s exit from the fan-beloved series has landed on the producing studios for Sheridan’s masterpiece saga, getting the actor-cum-showrunner off the hook.
That said, it would most certainly be interesting to see where this off-screen drama goes from here.
You can stream Yellowstone on Peacock.
