An argument between Kevin Costner and Wes Bentley reportedly resulted in Yellowstone production being briefly shut down.
In a new exposé from The Hollywood Reporter published on Wednesday, October 8, multiple sources described an alleged incident where the two costars got into a disagreement over a scene.
At one point, Costner, 70 — who was a star and executive producer of the Paramount Network series — was pushing Bentley, 47, to ditch cocreator Taylor Sheridan’s script and follow his direction. When Bentley refused, things allegedly got tense.
“Kevin didn’t like that, and he lunged at him,” a source who was present for the alleged incident told the publication. “No fists were thrown, but they were in each other’s faces, pushing and shoving and just getting hot until they had to be separated.”
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According to one witness, the situation left actress Kelly Reilly in tears.
“The incident with Wes was the line in the sand,” a second source claimed. “Everything was different after that. Everyone loved Wes and so that really made Taylor upset. Kevin and Taylor butted heads from there on out. It got very awkward.”
A spokesperson for Bentley confirmed the altercation to The Hollywood Reporter, calling it a “work-related argument during an emotional and physically tough scene,” which was “discussed and resolved.”
Us Weekly has reached out to Bentley and Costner’s reps for comment.
According to The Hollywood Reporter, the first season of Yellowstone went smoothly, partly because the show primarily featured relatively unknown actors, minus Costner.
Once the show became successful, however, the outlet claimed the power dynamics on set shifted away from Costner and more in Sheridan’s favor.
Paramount Network confirmed in May 2023 that Yellowstone would end for good at the end of season 5. Costner would not be returning for the second half of the final season to shift his focus to directing and acting in Horizon: An American Saga.
When asked about Costner in November 2024, Bentley told Extra TV, “I just say about Kevin that he’s such a huge part of the show, and he leaves a big hole [behind with his exit]. We miss him, and I wish him the best of luck.”
While Costner’s incident with Bentley may surprise some fans, many followers of the show were familiar with rumors that the actor didn’t always see eye to eye with Sheridan.
When breaking his silence on the alleged feud, Sheridan said he always respected Costner as an actor.
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“My opinion of Kevin as an actor hasn’t altered,” Sheridan told The Hollywood Reporter in June 2023. “His creation of John Dutton is symbolic and powerful … and I’ve never had an issue with Kevin that he and I couldn’t work out on the phone.”
Sheridan also denied a report that he told Costner to “stick to acting.”
“I never had that conversation with Kevin,” Sheridan said. “There was a time in season 2 when he was very upset and said the character wasn’t going in the direction he wanted. … Kevin felt season 2 was deviating from that, and I don’t know that he was wrong. In season 3, we steered back into it. And I recall him winning a Golden Globe last year for his performance, so I think it’s working.”
