Luke Grimes talks the ending of 'Yellowstone', Kevin Costner's departure and spin-offs

Luke Grimes can’t watch Yellowstone. He starred on the hit western drama as cowboy Kayce Dutton for seven years, but has only seen a handful of episodes – mostly the season premieres. The 40-year-old actor is very critical of his own work. So he waited throughout the entire series to actually hit the play button until the show ended. Now that the series finale of Yellowstone is only a week away, the day of the big drinking session is just around the corner.

“I want to like the show, and I bet one day I will, but it was pretty difficult because I was still on it,” Grimes tells me. “I want to give it a few years and just to clean up the palate,” he says. “Then I’ll go through all of this.”

I understand his hesitation to really immerse himself in the series that took him to another level of fame. The last two years have been an emotional rollercoaster for both of them Yellowstone Stars and the series’ hungry fans. The reported feud between series creator Taylor Sheridan and lead actor Kevin Costner derailed the fifth season in January 2023 Yellowstone in a long break. Much of the show’s fanbase complained about this Yellowstone‘S eventually returned without Costner, but it was a different story for the stars, who stepped up to give fans some much-needed closure.

“Hopefully everyone can see that it was time,” Grimes said. “To be honest, there was some of Kevin leaving which meant some of the conflict was gone. Obviously it wasn’t much fun to be here. I don’t want to point fingers, but it was actually the easiest season we’ve ever filmed.”

Of utmost importance
“There’s always talk of spin-offs,” Grimes teases. “I would, I just don’t see how it would work once the story is over.”

When Yellowstone When Sheridan returned, he quickly wrote off Costner’s character and increased storylines involving the remaining members of the Dutton family – including Kayce. In the final episodes, Kayce not only protects his family, but also begins to build a life of his own outside of his father’s mess. Just last Sunday he even found a way to save the ranch. When audiences tune in to the finale next week, they will be waiting with bated breath to find out the rest of Kayce’s plan.

“It was a running joke on set that the stupid cowboy found out,” jokes Grimes. “Kayce is kind of a silent killer and it’s great when he can use that energy for good. He is a character who is under his father’s thumb and simply fades into the background because he would rather remain unnoticed than have to do the crap his father asked him to do. Now he can step forward and find out everything. So it was a nice reward for me.”

Before the final Yellowstone In this episode, Grimes reflects on playing Kayce Dutton for more than half a decade, saying goodbye to such a beloved character, and starring in horror writer Ari Aster’s next film. Eddington.

Emerson Miller//Of utmost importance
The Dutton family saga ends next week.

ESQUIRE: Does it feel surreal? Yellowstone is it coming to an end?

LUKE GRIMES: It feels like good timing. Seven years is a long time to do anything, and I had never played a character for more than a few months. I loved everything. But there is a part of it that – if you read the final episodes – realizes that there is a finality. There is always talk of spin-offs. I would do it (but) I just don’t understand how it would work when the story is over. Kayce wants to be a cowboy and be happy with his family. He doesn’t want to kill people anymore. He doesn’t want the weight of a huge mega ranch, which isn’t sustainable in this day and age. He wants his little piece of heaven. It’s that simple.

Why do you think people find it so difficult to let go of their favorite characters? I’ve always thought that a real ending is better than going on forever.

I think so. But you know, our country can be a little gluttonous sometimes. Things continue after they are supposed to be done. I would prefer it to be the perfect story. But I understand. When people love something, they don’t want it to end. Then they get mad at everyone when that happens. That’s exactly how TV shows work. If John Dutton hadn’t died, the story would simply continue. That was the only thing that needed to happen the whole time.

Are you paying attention to fan reaction to the series?

Before, no, because it would have hurt my feelings. This year I read a small portion of the fan reaction to the death of John Dutton. I was just interested in what people thought about it, because I think we all had a pretty good idea that people wouldn’t like it very much. But I’m careful.

Taylor Hill//Getty Images
Luke Grimes (far left) and the Yellowstone Cast at the New York premiere of Season 5, Part 2. From left: Grimes, Wes Bentley, Kelly Reilly, Kelsey Asbille and Cole Hauser.

Cole Hauser told us that all of his scripts this season were heavily edited. Was it like that for you too?

Yes, every other season, but I had so much going on this season that I had to know what was going on or it wouldn’t have made any sense. I was actually caught up in the plot again. For a while there I was kind of in my own world. Of course, since John Dutton died, it would have been much more difficult not to have all the scripts.

I heard that you read through the final scripts in just one day. What emotions did you feel when you found out how the story ended?

GRIMES: Taylor told me from the beginning, “I know how the show ends, but I don’t want you to know how it ends.” I think you would just play things differently (if you knew the ending), and I don’t want you to know anything.” So I kept it in the back of my mind and wanted to wait until after we shot the very last episode to read it. But it had been so long since we’d filmed and I felt like I just couldn’t remember what we’d done. I couldn’t remember how to play Kayce. I couldn’t lock myself away. I thought: If I just read the last one it would definitely help. So I read it and it really touched me. I felt completely connected to the story again and couldn’t imagine it ending any other way.

Roger Snider//Of utmost importance
“It was a joke on set that the stupid cowboy found out,” Grimes says.

Do you think audiences will be happy with the finale?

At the rate we’re going, I don’t think they’ll be happy with anything. (Laughs.) Some people will find that it is very well written and well implemented. But a large portion will just be pissed that it’s over, and that’s fair.

Kayce’s new tax loophole plan has put a stop to many fan theories.

You could probably put it together at this point if you really sat down and thought about it. But I also wondered how this whole sprawling plot was going to come together in just one episode. But Taylor did it.

Can you tell me about your next role in Ari Aster? Eddington? (Editor’s Note: The horror director just completed filming a black western comedy set in New Mexico starring Grimes, Joaquin Phoenix, Pedro Pascal, Emma Stone, Austin Butler and Deirdre O’Connell).

It was first on my wish list. I loved Midsummer And Hereditary. I love psychological horror. That’s probably all I can say at the moment. If I tried to explain it in a logline it wouldn’t make any sense. Ari’s films are not an easy pitch. But here I could really play with the cool kids.

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Luke Grimes talks the ending of ‘Yellowstone’, Kevin Costner’s departure and spin-offs

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