Following the unexpected conclusion of Paramount Network’s hit neo-Western drama Yellowstone after just five seasons, a new report details a heated altercation between Kevin Costner and his co-star on the series, Wes Bentley.
According to TVLine, Bentley’s representation confirmed that the two actors got into a “work-related argument during an emotional and physically tough scene” that led to a tense interaction.
Here’s everything to know about the altercation.
Costner and Bentley pushed and shoved each other before being separated
According to The Hollywood Reporter, Costner, Bentley and Kelly Reilly were filming a heated exchange between the Dutton family on a soundstage in Utah when, between takes, the tension stretched into real life. Costner, who both starred in and served as an executive producer on the show, was urging Bentley to ignore showrunner Taylor Sheridan’s script and play the scene the way he envisioned it.
Bentley refused, telling Costner that he signed up to realize Sheridan’s vision, not his. Costner was not a fan of his response.
“Kevin didn’t like that, and he lunged at him,” a source who witnessed the altercation told The Hollywood Reporter. “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.”
An unnamed witness told The Hollywood Reporter that Reilly was in tears after the altercation, and production briefly shut down as a result.
A former colleague of Costner said he’s ‘impossible’ to work with
Bentley’s reps claimed the tension between the actors was “discussed and resolved,” though Costner continued to clash with the Yellowstone producing team. According to TV Line, when negotiating his Season 5 return, Costner reportedly provided the team with a list of demands, including script approval and a $10 million bonus, which they rejected, causing Costner to leave the show midway through what became the show’s final season. Sheridan originally envisioned a six-season run for the neo-Western drama.
After leaving the show, Costner pursued his own $100 million Western, Horizon: An American Saga. He starred in, directed, produced, and co-wrote the three-hour film. It made just $38.7 million. Horizon is intended to be the a four-part film series, and the second film has already been shot.
Costner’s Yellowstone struggles come after years of rumors of feuds, walkouts and financing debacles. One former colleague called the actor “impossible” to work with, per The Hollywood Reporter.
Bentley joins a long list of actors who’ve butted heads with Costner, including Clint Eastwood and Kurt Russell.