Posted in: Paramount+, Preview, TV | Tagged: kevin costner, paramount, season 5, taylor sheridan, yellowstone

Yellowstone: Taylor Sheridan "Disappointed" by Kevin Costner Situation

In a new profile interview, Taylor Sheridan discusses Yellowstone Season 5, the controversy surrounding the Kevin Costner situation & more.

Between growing tensions between series star Kevin Costner and Taylor Sheridan & Paramount Network's Yellowstone and the ongoing WGA/AMPTP writers' strike (and potential SAG-AFTRA strike), it's tough to say when viewers will learn the resolution to the war between John Dutton (Costner) & Beth (Kelly Reilly) and Jamie (Wes Bentley). Now, we're getting a chance to hear from Sheridan regarding what's gone down regarding the Paramount Network series, and it's expected that Costner will have minimal involvement in the episodes that remain before the series wraps its run. In a profile interview with The Hollywood Reporter, Sheridan addresses those issues and more – here's a look at some of the highlights:

On The Last Time That Sheridan Spoke with Costner: "My last conversation with Kevin was that he had this passion project he wanted to direct. He and the network were arguing about when he could be done with 'Yellowstone.' I said, 'We can certainly work a schedule toward [his preferred exit date],' which we did."

On How Things Soured Between All Parties Involved: "My opinion of Kevin as an actor hasn't altered. His creation of John Dutton is symbolic and powerful … and I've never had an issue with Kevin that he and I couldn't work out on the phone. But once lawyers get involved, then people don't get to talk to each other and start saying things that aren't true and attempt to shift blame based on how the press or public seem to be reacting. He took a lot of this on the chin, and I don't know that anyone deserves it. His movie seems to be a great priority to him, and he wants to shift focus. I sure hope [the movie is] worth it — and that it's a good one." Sheridan added, "I'm disappointed. It truncates the closure of his character. It doesn't alter it, but it truncates it."

On Season 2 Debate with Costner Regarding Character Direction: "I never had that conversation with Kevin. There was a time in season two when he was very upset and said the character wasn't going in the direction he wanted. I said, 'Kevin, you do remember that I told you this is essentially 'The Godfather' on the largest ranch in Montana? Are you that surprised that the Godfather is killing people?' What he's clung to is [Dutton's] commitments to his family and way of life. Dutton's big failing is not evolving with the times — not finding different revenue streams [for the ranch]. Kevin felt season two was deviating from that, and I don't know that he was wrong. In season three, we steered back into it. And I recall him winning a Golden Globe last year for his performance, so I think it's working."

On If He Would Do Anything Different Re Costner: "I didn't do anything to begin with! I don't dictate the schedule. I don't determine when things start filming. I don't determine when things air. Those decisions are made by people way above me. My sphere of control is the content — that's it. No production of mine has ever waited on me. Believe me, I begged [for more time] with '1883.' I begged with '1923.' Begged. Nope, 'Airdate locked; for what we pay you, figure it out.' And I don't stand in a corner and go, 'I'm not going to do it.'"

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