Kevin Costner Unfazed by 'Yellowstone' Fan Backlash Over Character's Death

Kevin Costner has addressed the fan outrage surrounding his character's death in the hit TV show 'Yellowstone'. In an exclusive interview with E! News at the 2024 Governors Awards in Los Angeles, the actor revealed that he wasn't bothered by the strong reactions from fans. "Fans have a voice in things," Costner said, "and they choose to follow stuff."

Costner explained that he had actually pitched two different endings for his character, John Dutton III, to the show's creator, Taylor Sheridan, "a while back." However, he acknowledged that the producers ultimately had the final say in how John Dutton would meet his end. The character was killed off in a plot orchestrated by Sarah Atwood, played by Dawn Olivieri. Atwood is the girlfriend of John's estranged son Jamie, played by Wes Bentley. Costner, known for his dry wit, quipped about the situation, "They do what they want to do. That's fine with me."

The actor's departure from the Western series was announced in June. Costner explained that scheduling conflicts with his four-part movie anthology "Horizon: An American Saga" prevented him from "continuing" to film 'Yellowstone'. "It was something that really changed me," Costner said about working on the series, which he starred in for four and a half seasons. Looking ahead, Costner said, "I love the relationship we've been able to develop and I'll see you at the movies."

Focusing on the Horizon

The first installment of "Horizon" premiered in June, and fans are eagerly awaiting news about the second chapter. Costner, ever the enigmatic cowboy, simply said with a laugh, "I'm gonna try to figure that out." "I make these things, I will figure out how to get it to an audience." He did reveal that "Horizon: An American Saga – Chapter 2" will "tie in" with the first film and that he's "trying to figure out" the third and fourth chapters.

Costner acknowledged that people might assume things come easily to him, saying "Everybody has an impression that maybe things come to me easily." But he pushed back on that notion, adding "I think projects do come to me. But when it comes to something I want to do, sometimes it's a bigger struggle." "If this is what it has to be for me to bring a movie to America and around the world, that's what I'll do," Costner said, emphasizing his commitment to the project.