Yellowstone's Wes Bentley Has Already Pondered a Future Without Kevin Costner

After it was reported Yellowstone star Kevin Costner might be leaving the show, his co-star Wes Bentley said he always knew it was "a possibility." Find out why.

By Daniel Trainor Feb 17, 2023 1:54 AMTags
Watch: "Yellowstone" Star Luke Grimes on Why the Show Is Special

Wes Bentley knows good things rarely last forever—especially in the world of prestige television.

After Deadline reported earlier this month that Yellowstone was planning to move on from star Kevin Costner at the end of its current fifth season, Bentley—who plays Jamie Dutton, the adopted son of John Dutton (Costner)—said bracing for massive change is just part of the job description.

"I thought about this in season one," Bentley told TVLine in an interview published Feb. 15, "because it's always a possibility in TV, right? We're always ready to die."

If John does indeed meet his maker, it might be at the hands of Jamie himself. The two find themselves at bitter odds in season five—which will return from hiatus later this year on Paramount Network—especially after Jamie called for his father to be impeached as the governor of Montana in Yellowstone's mid-season finale in January.

"After John ran for governor and became the thing he said he hated, Jamie started to have a change of perspective," Bentley said. "Maybe John is not this tough guy he says he is. Maybe John doesn't have ideas. Maybe he's just another guy like the rest of them."

photos
2023 TV Premiere Dates

Bentley continued, "That's the loss of the pedestal [John was on]. The deity is gone. I think that's why Jamie's choosing to try to have him killed."

As for the potential of loss of Costner, Deadline reported it all came down to Costner's desire to spend less time shooting the mega-hit western. The outlet said the network and Yellowstone creator Taylor Sheridan are currently planning on moving the show in a new direction, with Matthew McConaughey as the new series lead.

"We have no news to report," a Paramount Network spokesperson told E! News at the time. "Kevin Costner is a big part of Yellowstone and we hope that's the case for a long time to come. Thanks to the brilliant mind of Taylor Sheridan, we are always working on franchise expansions of this incredible world he has built."

The spokesperson added, "Matthew McConaughey is a phenomenal talent with whom we'd love to partner."

Paramount

The second half of Yellowstone's fifth season will premiere on Paramount Network later this year.

Get the drama behind the scenes. Sign up for TV Scoop!