Kevin Costner ‘Lunged’ at Major ‘Yellowstone’ Co-Star in Heated Confrontation, Report Claims

Kevin Costner’s heated confrontation with fellow Yellowstone actor Wes Bentley was reportedly a tipping point on set that ultimately led to the actor’s departure from the Taylor Sheridan series.

Ahead of Costner’s headline-making exit from the Paramount Network drama in 2024, sources told The Hollywood Reporter that a scene featuring the actor with his on-screen adult children, Bentley and Kelly Reilly, was a “line in the sand.”

Between takes, one source recalled, Costner pushed Bentley to play the scene his way, rather than how it was written in Sheridan’s script. Bentley refused, telling his co-star he had signed up for a show from Sheridan, not a Costner production.

“Kevin didn’t like that, and he lunged at him,” the source continued. “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.” Reilly was in tears, one witness claimed, and production had to briefly shut down before the scene was able to get back on track.

A spokesperson for Bentley confirmed the altercation to THR, calling it a “work related argument during an emotional and physically tough scene,” which was “discussed and resolved.” Costner’s spokesperson declined to comment.

From that point on, Costner’s alleged “diva-like” imperiousness made him an increasingly polarizing figure on the set of Yellowstone.

“The incident with Wes was the line in the sand. Everything was different after that,” a different source told the outlet. “Everyone loved Wes and so that really made Taylor upset. Kevin and Taylor butted heads from there on out. It got very awkward.”

Things also allegedly got uncomfortable when Yellowstone prequel 1883 was announced and went into production, as Costner was also circulating the script for the first installment for his own film project, Horizon, without much success.

“Nobody was jumping to buy [Costner’s] odyssey and after 1883, he wanted to prove everyone wrong,” a source told THR. “He was obsessively pursuing it and as a result his world on Yellowstone starts unravelling.”

Costner reportedly presented Paramount and Yellowstone producers with a list of demands he would require to return for the second half of Season 5, which included a $10 million upfront payment and script approval. They declined, and Costner’s character was killed in the first episode of the second half of Season 5.

Despite the reports at the time of behind-the-scenes tension, Costner expressed appreciation for Yellowstone on social media as he made his exit. “It was something that really changed me. I loved it, and I know you loved it. And I just wanted to let you know that I won’t be returning,” he said at the time. “I love the relationship that we’ve been able to develop, and I’ll see you at the movies.”