‘Yellowstone’s Luke Grimes Responds To Fans Who Feel “Cheated” After John Dutton’s Death

John Dutton’s death may have come as a shock to fans, but Yellowstone star Luke Grimes claims it could have happened much earlier.

After the show spent almost two years off the air, viewers were greeted back to Yellowstone with the news of John’s death just minutes into the Season 5, Part 2 premiere that aired Nov. 10. The premiere drew immediate backlash from fans. But according to Grimes, “it was always the plan” for Kevin Costner‘s character to get written off the show.

The actor, who plays John’s youngest son on the show, responded to the “negative reactions” fans had during a recent chat with People.

“I think they feel sort of cheated. And what I would say to that is, I think we were all lucky to have Kevin on the show as long as we did,” he said. “It was always the plan for him to have to go away for the story to really ramp up, and that was the story. You lose a patriarch of the family. Can the kids do it on their own?”

Costner exited the series before production on Part 2 resumed, claiming the continued delays were beginning to conflict with his other projects. But Grimes revealed that John’s death was always on the horizon.

“I think originally he was supposed to die much earlier. So, in a way, they got way more of John Dutton than they were going to originally get,” Grimes said. “I would keep that in mind.”

Photo: Emerson Miller / ©Paramount Network

However, he acknowledged that it must have come as a shock to fans. “If it happened in such a shocking, quick way, that’s how life works, right? I mean, when you lose people, it’s sometimes not how you planned and not when you think it’s going to be,” he said.

After the episode aired, Costner revealed that they had discussed his character’s fate multiple times when he was on the show but the storyline still came as a shock – even to him.

“No, I didn’t see it,” he said of the Season 5, Part 2 premiere. “I heard it’s a suicide, so that doesn’t make me want to rush to go see it.” John’s death is staged to look like a suicide, but it’s later revealed that it was a planned murder.

Costner defended the team behind Yellowstone nonetheless, noting John’s death could be a “red herring.”

“Listen, they’re smart people. Whatever they’re doing, they’ll figure it out,” he said.

Season 5 is reportedly the final season of the Paramount Network drama. But reports say  Kelly Reilly and Cole Hauser, who play John’s daughter and son-in-law, are in talks of taking the lead on the show after Costner’s exit.

New episodes of Yellowstone air on Paramount Network Sundays at 8/7c.

If you or someone you know are experiencing suicidal thoughts, call the Suicide and Crisis Lifeline 24 hours a day, 7 days a week at 988.