Yellowstone is a show on Paramount that follows the lives of the Dutton family. The main characters are John Dutton (Kevin Costner), his daughters Kayce (Luke Grimes), Beth (Kelly Reilly), and Jamie Dutton (Wes Bentley), most of whom reside at Yellowstone Ranch, which is constantly threatened by hungry developers.
John has nevertheless made every effort to preserve his valuable land. Because John owns one of the largest cattle ranches in America, businesspeople frequently try to make deals with him and devise plans to coerce him. However, John desperately wants to keep the Yellowstone Ranch in the family. Although each of the other children has taken a different professional path, it is uncertain who will inherit the ranch following the passing of his eldest son, Lee (Dave Annable). This decision, besides what happens to the ranch and the family, only time (and the finale of the show) will tell.
The reason Kevin Costner almost passed on playing John Dutton in Yellowstone
When it comes to iconic roles, Kevin Costner has had his fair share of memorable characters throughout his career. However, it might come as a surprise to learn that he almost turned down the opportunity to play the formidable John Dutton in the hit TV series Yellowstone. So, why did he hesitate?
First off, Costner, being a seasoned actor, knows that taking on a role of this magnitude requires a significant commitment. The directors of Yellowstone might have needed to come up with a backup plan, even if it is now difficult to picture anybody else playing family guy John Dutton. The Oscar-winning actor was approached by creator and director Taylor Sheridan, but he didn’t immediately leap at the chance. Instead, Costner first felt uncomfortable about embarking on the project. This was due to the fact that Yellowstone was initially pitched to him as a long film.
Costner, in an interview, said:
“I thought we were going to do one long movie, 10 hours. So I’m down with long, I understand long really well, and it was pitched to me we were going to do one long movie. Somewhere along the line, they wanted to turn [it] into a series, and you kinda have to look at things again.”
Advertisement“I have my own internal reasons why I ended up doing it, but ultimately there’s that window of opportunity… [where] you gotta jump creatively, and so I did that. I’m happy for the show and everyone in it.”
Fortunately, Yellowstone eventually won Costner over. He seemingly recognized the potential for the series to become something truly special, and he didn’t want to miss out on the chance to be part of it.
His casting as John Dutton went on to help the show
It was obviously good news for Cole Hauser and the rest of the future cast when Kevin Costner decided to star in Yellowstone. The actor who portrays Costner’s dependable right-hand man, Rip, revealed that Costner was one of the driving forces in his decision to join the series. Although it wasn’t just other actors who turned into future cast members of the show, they weren’t the only ones drawn to the show.
It was also great news for both Paramount Network and the audience, both of which are obviously thankful for Kevin Costner’s decision to play John Dutton in Yellowstone when it was made into a TV series. Although, given how successful his film career has been over the years, Costner’s decision was surely not uncomplicated.
In the end, we can all heave a sigh of relief that Costner decided to take on the role of John Dutton. His powerful and nuanced portrayal of the patriarch has become one of the defining performances of his career, taking Yellowstone to new heights, which is something that the show’s worldwide fanbase is telling of.