Cory Asbury Says He Almost Played ‘Long-Lost’ Dutton on ‘Yellowstone’

Yellowstone was allegedly ready to unveil a secret Dutton sibling on season 6, but Cory Asbury claims the character was cut when the show was canceled.

“I was fired up about it and so bummed when it was canceled,” Asbury, 38, told Taste of Country in an interview published on Tuesday, November 21. “So bummed.”

The Christian singer detailed his alleged arrangement with the show during a Q&A with the outlet shared on social media last week.

“I was supposed to be Kayce’s long-lost brother,” Asbury claimed at the time. “We were gonna move to Montana for a full year. We were ready.”

The “Reckless Love” singer shared that his wife, Anna, was on board with relocating for the project. “Anna gave me the OK and our kids were like, ‘OK, cool, we’ll live in Montana,’” he said of his plans.

Asbury first discussed his role on the cowboy drama in July, sharing via his Instagram Story that he “got asked to be in season 6 of Yellowstone then they canceled it.”

His move to Montana was thwarted when Paramount announced in May that season 5 would be Yellowstone’s last. Part 1 of season 5 ended in January and the final episodes will begin airing in November 2024.

The show, which premiered in 2018, follows the Dutton family helmed by John Dutton (Kevin Costner) as they run their Montana ranch. John’s daughter, Bethany (Kelly Reilly), sons Jamie (Wes Bentley) and Kayce (Luke Grimes), are heavily featured on the series as are actors Gil Birmingham, Cole Hauser and Kelsey Asbille.

Yellowstone has a history of recruiting singers to become a part of its cast. Grimes, for example, became a country star after playing Kayce for several seasons. Lainey Wilson, meanwhile, made her acting debut in 2022 as Abby.

Wilson, 31, was featured on part 1 of season 5, after becoming friends with Yellowstone creator Taylor Sheridan in 2018.  “He had put a few of my songs in the show and then invited me out to Vegas to play a horse-riding competition, and that’s where I got to meet him,” she exclusively told Us Weekly in April. “[We] became buddies and, you know, I knew the friendship would lead to something. I didn’t know it necessarily meant me being in the show.”

The “Heart Like a Truck” singer’s future on the show was left in limbo as season 5 production pressed pause in 2022 following drama between Costner, 68, and Sheridan, 53.

“No matter which direction it goes, it’s gonna be incredible because Taylor Sheridan, I mean, he can do no wrong, in my opinion,” Wilson told Entertainment Tonight in May. “But yeah. I’m waiting for that call. I’m like, ‘Y’all let me know when to be there and I’ll be there.’”

Related: Yellowstone’s Offscreen Drama Through the Years: On-Set Tension and More

Yellowstone is known for its over-the-top plot lines and complicated family drama, but the show’s cast and crew has also been involved in plenty of offscreen controversy over the years. Since the Paramount Network series premiered in June 2018, actors along with cocreator Taylor Sheridan have fended off criticism that the show is written with […]

Earlier in the year, rumors surfaced that Costner and Sheridan were feuding. A source exclusively told Us in May that there was “drama between some of the writers and producers” after the first half of episodes were shot.

The insider claimed to Us that Costner wasn’t the reason for the “holdup,” adding, “He is also very disappointed by the delays, which are beyond his control.”

As Yellowstone’s on-set issues continued to make headlines, Paramount announced in May that the end of season 5 would premiere that November. However, it was pushed back during the WGA and SAG-AFTRA strikes, both of which have since concluded.

Us Weekly has reached out to Paramount for comment on Asbury’s casting claims.