Kevin Costner Explains Why He Announced His ‘Yellowstone’ Exit: ‘I Don’t Need Drama’

Kevin Costner doesn’t need any more drama in his life.

Costner, 69, candidly opened up about why he chose to confirm his exit from Yellowstone last week after months of speculation about whether he would reprise his role as John Dutton in season 5B.

“It wasn’t tough,” he said of his Thursday, June 20, announcement. “It was a necessary decision to say, ‘Hey, OK, I don’t want to really talk about this anymore. It’s time to move on.’”

Speaking to The Hollywood Reporter, Costner added, “I gave this thing five seasons. I was really happy to do it. And I don’t need drama. So, let’s just take that drama away, let’s take the guessing [away]. The fans have been way too good to me. And my obligation is to go on and continue to make things that mean something to them.”

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The actor clarified his Yellowstone future last Thursday just hours after Paramount Network confirmed the hit drama’s final episodes will premiere on Sunday, November 10, at 8 p.m. ET after a lengthy delay. (The first half of season 5 concluded in January 2023.) Paramount’s announcement made no mention of Costner, who has led the Yellowstone cast since the show’s inception in 2018.

“I just want to reach out and let you know that after this long year and a half of working on Horizon and doing all of the things that’s required, and thinking about Yellowstone, that beloved series that I love and I know you love,” Costner said in a video shared via X.

He continued, “I just realized that I’m not going to be able to continue season 5B or into the future. It was something that really changed me. I loved it. And I know you loved it. I just wanted to let you know that I won’t be returning. I love the relationship we’ve been able to develop, and I’ll see you at the movies.”

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Costner previously denied that his Yellowstone exit was the result of a feud with show cocreator Taylor Sheridan or his busy schedule with the four-part Horizon film saga, the first of which hits theaters on June 28.

“I have taken a beating from those f–king guys and I know a lot of times where it’s coming from,” he told Deadline of the rumors in May. “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.”