Luke Grimes Says ‘Yellowstone’ Was “Easiest” Without Kevin Costner

Although Yellowstone fans might have missed Kevin Costner, at least one co-star got along just fine in his absence.

Luke Grimes recently shared his honest opinion of the 2x Oscar winner and his experience filming the fifth and final season of the Paramount Network neo-Western family drama, which airs its finale ‘Life Is a Promise’ on Sunday, Dec. 15 at 8pm ET.

“Hopefully everyone can see that it was time,” he told Esquire. “To be really honest, there was a part of Kevin being gone that meant some of the conflict was gone. Obviously, it didn’t make it super fun to be around. Not pointing any fingers, but it was actually the easiest season we’ve filmed.”

Costner didn’t return to Yellowstone for the final episodes due to scheduling conflicts with his film Horizon: An American Saga, the self-funded western film series he’s producing, co-writing, directing and starring.

Created by Taylor Sheridan, Yellowstone stars Costner as John Dutton, the patriarch of family of ranchers operating the largest contiguous ranch in the United States. The patriarch was killed off this season in a murder-for-hire plot.

Costner’s absence behind-the-scenes also allowed Grimes’ character, John’s son Kayce Dutton, to thrive onscreen. “It was a running joke on set that the dumb cowboy figured it out,” he said after this week’s penultimate episode.

“Kayce’s kind of the silent killer, and it’s great whenever he gets to use that energy for something good. He’s a character who is under his father’s thumb—just sinking into the background because he would rather be not noticed than have to do the s— his dad wanted him to do. Now he gets to step up and figure everything out,” added Grimes. “So it was a nice payoff for me.”

Although the parent series is ending, the Yellowstone universe is expanding with a spin-off centered on Kelly Reilly and Cole Hauser‘s characters Beth Dutton and Rip Wheeler. It joins 1923, which continues with Season 2 on Feb. 23 on Paramount+, as well as upcoming spin-off The Madison.