Kevin Costner Says He’s Not In A ‘Rush’ To See His Final ‘Yellowstone’ Episode

Kevin Costner has revealed that he’s in no hurry to watch the final moments of his character on “Yellowstone.”

The veteran actor, who captivated audiences as John Dutton on the hit Paramount series, claims he didn’t even know part 2 of season 5 had returned on air as he hasn’t paid attention to it since it was revealed he wouldn’t be reprising his role.

Kevin Costner and the production reportedly clashed over contractual obligations and scheduling differences.

According to Page Six, Costner appeared on SiriusXM’s “The Michael Smerconish Program” on Monday, where he weighed in on his character’s death following the premiere of season 5b on Sunday.

The 69-year-old actor noted that he has seemingly lost interest in watching how his John Dutton character was killed off on the show after getting wind that it was “a suicide.”

“I didn’t see it,” he admitted. “I heard it’s a suicide, so that doesn’t make me want to rush to go see it.”

Host Michael Smerconish then pointed out that his character wasn’t the “suicide kind of guy,” to which Costner responded, “Well, they’re pretty smart people.”

“Maybe it’s a red herring. Who knows? They’re very good. And they’ll figure that out,” he added.

The Oscar winner seemed to imply that he hasn’t been paying attention to the Western series as he was unaware of its return.

In his chat with Smerconish, the “Bodyguard” star explained that he didn’t know the show was airing last night as he hadn’t been following its production since he was dropped from returning.

“That’s a swear to God moment,” he said. “I mean, I’ve been seeing ads with my face all over the place, and I’m thinking, ‘Gee, I’m not in that one.'”

Rumors circulated that Costner had quit the show, with reports suggesting there were contractual and scheduling differences between him and the show’s producers.

However, he weighed in on the rumors, saying, “I didn’t leave. I didn’t quit the show.” He added that the differences arose from scheduling and contract issues.

“There were the gaps that were there,” Costner shared. “There was contractual things that would allow for both things to be done, but because both things were contractual, you had to make room for the other thing.”

He continued, “There was room, but it was difficult for them to keep their schedule. It seemed to be, it was just too difficult for them to do it.”

“I couldn’t help them anymore,” he added. “Everybody has to live up to what they say they’re going to do. And it doesn’t matter what business you’re in.”

Costner took to his Instagram account in June to confirm that he wouldn’t be coming back on the show, saying the decision came after a “long year and a half” of working on his 2024 western drama, “Horizon.”

“An update for you guys. I’ll see you at the movies,” he captioned the video post.

“I want 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, and thinking about Yellowstone, that beloved series that I love, that I know you love, I just realized that I’m not going to be able to continue Season 5B or into the future,” he said.

Costner added, “It was something that really changed me. I loved it. And I know you loved it. And I just wanted to let you know that I won’t be returning, and I love the relationship we’ve been able to develop, and I’ll see you at the movies.”

In a previous interview with People Magazine, the “Hidden Figures” actor shared his disappointment with his former costars, decrying how none of them stood up for him concerning rumors surrounding his exit from the show.

“I read all the stories,” he said. “I was disappointed that nobody on their side… ever stepped up to defend what it was I actually did for them. There came a moment where I thought, ‘Wow, when is somebody going to say something about what I have done versus what I haven’t done?'”

Costner’s exit was allegedly due to a three-way feud he was involved in with show producer Taylor Sheridan and Paramount Network.

According to The Hollywood Reporter, the bane of the matter seems to be Costner’s liking for how his character ends. He reportedly wanted to approve of Dutton’s fate on the show, but Sheridan, like most showrunners, does not let actors choose their storylines.