A history of ‘Yellowstone’s’ offscreen drama: Lawsuits, controversies and more

More Dutton drama.

As “Yellowstone” ramps up for its final stretch of episodes on Paramount+, the hit Kevin Costner ranch drama has found itself embroiled in nonstop controversies behind the scenes, too.

Created by Taylor Sheridan, the show — which averages 5 million viewers per episode and saw 6.6 million viewers for its broadcast debut on CBS in September — follows Montana rancher John Dutton (Kevin Costner) and his adult children: Jamie (Wes Bentley), Beth (Kelly Reilly) and Kayce (Luke Grimes) – as well as peripheral family members such as Beth’s husband, Rip Wheeler (Cole Hauser) and Kayce’s wife, Monica (Kelsey Asbille).

“Yellowstone” will debut its final five-episode Season 5 next November. After that, it will have a spinoff series starring Matthew McConaughey.

Here’s everything you need to know about all the off-set drama.

Taylor Sheridan vs. the idea that it’s a conservative show

Although “Yellowstone” has often been deemed a “red state” show, Sheridan has fired back at that notion.

“They refer to it as ‘the conservative show’ or ‘the Republican show’ or ‘the red-state Game of Thrones,’” Sheridan told “The Atlantic” in 2022. “And I just sit back laughing. I’m like, ‘Really?’”

He went on say that the show addresses topics such as, “The displacement of Native Americans and the way Native American women were treated and about corporate greed and the gentrification of the West, and land-grabbing. That’s a red-state show?” he said.

Kevin Costner’s assistant vs. Taylor Sheridan

According to Puck news, Kevin Costner’s assistant, Glenn Kleczkowski, slammed Sheridan’s other show “Tulsa King,” starring Sylvester Stallone.

“Stick to westerns, bro. You don’t know S – – T about THIS life,” Kleczkowski allegedly wrote on Instagram, in a since-deleted post.

“Stay in your lane, country boy. I’m actually embarrassed for you as a writer and creator.”

Taylor Sheridan vs. the budget 

In May 2023, a Wall Street Journal report revealed creator Sheridan’s “ridiculous” spending habits caused “internal frustration.”

According to the report, Paramount and 101 Studios pay Sheridan tens of thousands of dollars a week (on top of what he’s already paid to write, direct and produce the show) to use his various companies and services.

The report alleged that Sheridan rents cattle to Paramount at $25 a head, and charges up to $50,000 a week for the show to film on ranches that he owns.

Sheridan also reportedly billed the studio $3,000 to pay a wrangler in Texas, 1,600 miles away from set, who was looking after his own horses. He also had his preferred farrier flown out to Montana from Texas.

“Are you kidding me? We can’t find a local person?” David Glasser, the head of 101 Studios, allegedly wrote in an email to staff.

“Yellowstone” vs. Hollywood

Despite its popularity with audiences — the Season 4 finale drew a staggering 9.3 million viewers — the “Yellowstone” cast has often commented on the show’s award snubs, especially from the Emmys and Golden Globes.

Gil Birmingham, who plays tribal chairman Thomas Rainwater, told the Daily Mail, “Hollywood is a fickle beast.”

Wes Bentley, who plays Jamie Dutton, told the Daily Mail, “Many, many shows don’t get that recognition that deserve it, and many do get it that don’t deserve it,” he went on. “It’s just the matter of opinion of each particular academy. I know we are a success because the people are watching it.”

However, Costner finally won a Golden Globe for the show in 2023, ending the saga of “Yellowstone” getting snubbed.

Taylor Sheridan vs. Kevin Costner

Costner, 68, caused waves when he left the show in 2022.

Rumors flew around about what happened between Costner and Sheridan. At first, it was hinted that they were disputing over shooting schedules.

“Somewhere along the line they wanted to change things,” Costner said about it, according to Fox News.

“They wanted to do [Season] 5A and 5B. I was going to do my movie ‘Horizon’ and leave that show, do my movie, then do B. A show I was only doing once a year I was now doing twice.”

However, it was also reported that Sheridan has a “god complex,” which allegedly frustrated Costner, and was a source of friction between them.

“Only Taylor truly knows what is going on,” a source told The Post in April. “Taylor spent years not being truly appreciated in Hollywood, and now that he’s the top of the heap, there’s definitely some ego to all of this.”

That same month, the lead cast and Sheridan skipped PaleyFest last minute 30 minutes before the red carpet was supposed to begin at the Dolby Theater in Hollywood.

The cast — Costner, Kelly Reilly, Hauser, Luke Grimes, Kelsey Asbille, Wes Bentley, Gil Birmingham and Jacki Weaver — reportedly could not attend due to scheduling conflicts. They were replaced by co-stars Josh Lucas, Wendy Moniz, Mo Brings Plenty and Dawn Olivieri.

Sheridan broke his silence about the Costner feud in June, telling the Hollywood Reporter, “My last conversation with Kevin was that he had this passion project he wanted to direct,” he said, referring to Costner’s Western movie, “Horizon.”

Sheridan alleged that the shooting schedule was the reason for his falling out with his star.

“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,” he said.

“[I] never had an issue with Kevin that he and I couldn’t work out on the phone,” he went on.

“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 … His movie seems to be a great priority to him … I sure hope it’s worth it.”

Kelsey Asbille vs. other Native American actors saying she’s not Native

Asbille, 32, identified herself as being of Cherokee descent in a 2017 interview with the New York Times. However, other Native American actors such as Adam Beach (“Suicide Squad”) alleged that Asbille was misrepresenting herself.

“What got me jolted by it was that I have a lot of Native female actors that need a job,” Beach, who is Saulteaux, told BuzzFeed News in 2017. “I immediately called it out.”

According to the outlet, Lakota actor and producer Sonny Skyhawk made an inquiry to the nation’s Tribal Enrollment Office, which declared that the tribe had no record of Asbille, and could not find evidence that she was a descendant.

Asbille, Costner and Sheridan didn’t comment on the issue, which also angered Beach.

“They really ignored us,” Beach slammed them.

Kevin Costner vs. his ex-wife

In off-screen drama, Kevin Costner’s now-ex wife, Christine Baumgartner, 49, suddenly filed for divorce after 18 years of marriage in May 2023, citing “irreconcilable differences.” They share sons Cayden, 16, and Hayes, 14, and daughter Grace, 13.

The proceedings soon turned ugly, as Baumgartner reportedly argued that $129,000 a month child support is not sufficient.

Baumgartner reportedly also accused Costner of “withholding” evidence of his finances in a California Superior Court filing, which was obtained by People.

“He wants to humiliate her,” Baumgartner’s close friend, who opted to remain anonymous, told the Daily Mail. “This isn’t about the house, it’s about making Christine’s life a living hell for actually going through with the divorce.”

His attorney, Laura Wasser, reportedly accused Baumgartner of making “unreasonable” financial demands to fund her own lavish lifestyle. Baumgartner already got a $1.5 million payout — an amount specified in the former couple’s prenuptial agreement, in the event of a divorce.

“Even in LA, I have never seen a child support request this high,” she said.

In September 2023, they came to an agreement with a judge ordering Costner to pay about $63,000 per month for their three children. Per People, Baumgartner had initially sought about $175,000 per month.

Taylor Sheridan vs. Cole Hauser 

It’s the showrunner’s ranch in battle against his star’s business.

On Dec. 5, 2023, news broke that Bosque Ranch – owned by Sheridan – is suing the coffee brand, Free Rein, which is co-owned by Hauser.

A lawsuit was filed Nov. 21 by the ranch against Free Rein in the Northern District of Texas’ federal court in San Angelo for trademark infringement, citing unfair competition and false advertising.

The suit claimed that Free Rein uses “a brand mark strikingly similar to Bosque Ranch’s registered trademark, potentially misleading consumers,” according to San Angelo Live.

Before this incident, Hauser said that he and Sheridan got in a fight shortly after they first met, but he also said the two were close.

“We just became dear friends,” he told WFAA. “And when you spend time with people, especially as a writer like him, he takes little kind of interesting things, whether it’s who I am as a person, who he is as a person, the things we care about, that we want to talk about in society. And he found that Rip was a good vessel for that.”

Just one day after Sheridan’s filing, Hauser appeared unbothered on social media, posting a photo drinking his coffee while on a boat. “Morning cruise @freereincoffeecompany get up and get after it!” he captioned it.

With Costner leaving the show last year — and no word if he’ll return for the final episodes — Hauser now appears to be top billing.

And now he, too, is in battle with Sheridan.

Kevin Costner is officially not returning

On June 20, the Oscar-winning actor, 69, took to Instagram to break the news to fans after much speculation ahead of the second half of the show’s 5th season.

Costner revealed he’s shifting his focus to his western movie “Horizon: An American Saga.”

Costner said that the hit Paramount series, which recently started production on the second half of its fifth and final season, “was something that really changed me.”

The Golden Globe winner finally broke his silence about ongoing rumors of a feud between him and showrunner Taylor Sheridan last month.

“I have taken a beating from those f–king guys, and I know a lot of times where it’s coming from. I just elected not to get into that. But if you know me well enough, I made ‘Yellowstone’ the first priority, and to insinuate anything else would be wrong. I did not initiate any of those things. They did,” Costner told Deadline.

Last week, the “Dances With Wolves” actor and director told “CBS Sunday Morning” that he was considering returning to “Yellowstone” if the storyline piqued his interest.

“If I like the story, where it was going, I would go back,” he said, adding that his reason for leaving had nothing to do with his new multi-film big screen project.

But, in his Instagram video, he announced his final verdict. “I loved it and I know you loved it,” he said about his time on “Yellowstone.”

“I just wanted to let you know that I won’t be returning.”