Luke Grimes reveals he and Kevin Costner have not spoken since the actor departed the hit series, shifting focus to his own path.
When the cameras stopped rolling on the Dutton family drama, the connection between its leads effectively went cold. Luke Grimes. who portrayed Kayce Dutton opposite Kevin Costner’s patriarch John. confirmed he has not spoken to his former co-star since the veteran actor departed the Taylor Sheridan-led series in 2024.
For four seasons. the two played father and son—Costner as the powerful owner of the largest cattle ranch in the United States. and Grimes as Kayce. the former Navy SEAL caught between his family legacy and the life he built with his wife. Monica. and their son. Tate. Now, as Grimes moves into his own spinoff, “Marshals,” the professional bond that anchored the show has faded into memory.
“I haven’t talked to Kevin since we stopped working together. Not for any reason other than we’re busy guys and life moves on,” Grimes said. He brushed aside the possibility of a Costner cameo on his new show. noting that while it might be “cool. ” he doubts it will happen. If a flashback were to occur. he suggested it would be more poignant to focus on his character’s relationship with Monica. played by Kelsey Asbille. rather than his father.
The silence follows a turbulent conclusion to Costner’s tenure on the show. His exit in 2024 was marked by a public scheduling clash. where production delays for the final season of the series collided with his work on the film project “Horizon: An American Saga.” While Costner maintained he had prioritized the series—citing a lack of scripts for the second half of season five as a key friction point—the show’s creator. Taylor Sheridan. offered a different account in June. Sheridan stated that Costner had originally agreed to only three seasons of the hit show. extending his stay only after the project became a massive success.
Now, the transition is complete. Grimes has taken his character into the elite unit of U.S. Marshals in Montana, leaving the Yellowstone ranch—and its former patriarch—firmly in the past.
Luke Grimes Kevin Costner Yellowstone Marshals Taylor Sheridan Kayce Dutton John Dutton