Luke Grimes’ candid quotes about falling out with Yellowstone’s Kevin Costner

Luke Grimes Opens Up About Losing Contact With Kevin Costner After Yellowstone Exit

After Kevin Costner’s highly publicized departure from Yellowstone, one of the show’s biggest unanswered questions has not only been about John Dutton’s fate, but also about where Costner stands with the cast he worked beside for years. While many of his former costars have stayed careful and quiet, Luke Grimes has been more open about the distance that formed after Costner left the series.

Yellowstone first premiered on Paramount Network in 2018 and quickly became one of television’s biggest modern Western dramas. Created by Taylor Sheridan, the series followed the powerful Dutton family, owners of the largest ranch in Montana, as they fought to protect their land, legacy, and influence. Costner led the show as John Dutton, the family patriarch, while Grimes played his son, Kayce Dutton.

For five seasons, Costner’s presence was central to the story. His character was the emotional and political anchor of the Dutton family, and his performance helped turn the series into a cultural phenomenon. But behind the scenes, reports of scheduling conflicts and creative tension eventually surrounded Costner’s future on the show. By the time the final stretch of Yellowstone arrived, his character had been written out, and the series moved toward its conclusion without him.

Grimes later admitted that Costner’s absence was impossible not to feel.

Speaking to People in November 2024, Grimes described Costner as a major presence on set. “He’s a big presence. Man, guy’s an icon,” he said. According to Grimes, filming without him felt different, but the remaining cast had grown close enough to keep going. He explained that the cast had become like a family and hoped fans would still connect with the final story even without John Dutton at the center.

But the more revealing comments came later, when Grimes discussed whether he and Costner had stayed in touch after the actor’s exit.

In December 2024, Grimes told Men’s Health MH Flex that he had not spoken to Costner since he left Yellowstone. Still, he made it clear that he did not see the silence as a feud.

“I haven’t talked to him since,” Grimes said. “It’s not a case of any hard feelings or anything. It’s just, he’s Kevin Costner.”

Grimes explained that he does have Costner’s phone number, but he does not feel it is his place to reach out. In his view, Costner is the bigger figure, the Hollywood legend, and if Costner wants to contact him, the door appears to be open.

“He’s a big deal,” Grimes said. “I do have his phone number — I just don’t feel like it’s my place to reach out. He can reach out to me if he wants to.”

Those comments gave fans a rare glimpse into the quiet separation that happened after Costner’s exit. It was not described as anger or resentment. Instead, it sounded more like distance, uncertainty, and the awkward silence that sometimes follows a complicated professional ending.

Costner’s own response only added to the intrigue. When asked about Grimes’ comments and the Yellowstone finale, Costner told reporters that he was not thinking about it. “I don’t think I’ve given it any thoughts,” he said. “We’ll just let it go.”

When asked whether he was still in touch with Grimes, Costner avoided giving a warm answer. “No. We are done talking,” he said.

That short response left plenty of room for interpretation. To some fans, it sounded final. To others, it simply reflected Costner’s desire to move on from the subject entirely.

Grimes later spoke even more candidly about how the final season felt without Costner. During an interview with Esquire, he admitted that Costner’s absence changed the atmosphere on set in a way some viewers might not expect.

“To be really honest, there was a part of Kevin being gone that meant some of the conflict was gone,” Grimes said.

He quickly clarified that he was not trying to blame anyone directly. Still, his comment suggested that the final season may have been easier to film without some of the tension that had reportedly surrounded the production.

“Not pointing any fingers,” he added, “but it was actually the easiest season we’ve filmed.”

For fans of Yellowstone, the situation remains bittersweet. Costner helped build the show into a hit, and his portrayal of John Dutton became one of the most recognizable roles of his later career. At the same time, the series had to continue without him, forcing the remaining cast to carry the emotional weight of the ending.

Grimes’ comments do not paint a picture of open hostility. Instead, they reveal something more complicated: respect, distance, and a sense that things ended suddenly.

There may be no dramatic feud between Luke Grimes and Kevin Costner. But there is clearly a silence where a working relationship once existed. And for a show built on loyalty, family, pride, and broken bonds, that real-life distance feels strangely fitting.