Ahead of the highly anticipated Yellowstone series finale, Newsweek caught up with star Luke Grimes to discuss what fans can expect from the show’s concluding episodes—and according to the actor, viewers will be “satisfied.”
Premiering in 2018, the hit series is set on a Montana ranch and follows the Dutton family’s ongoing struggle to protect their land. The show boasts an all-star cast, including Kevin Costner (who has since departed the series), Kelly Reilly, Wes Bentley and Grimes.
Season 5, Part 1 of Yellowstone aired from November 2022 to January 2023, with the second part of the final series set to premiere on November 10, 2024. It was announced in May 2023 that the fifth season of Yellowstone would be the last, with production being paused due to reported disputes between creator Taylor Sheridan and Costner, followed by the WGA and SAG-AFTRA strikes.
As the final episodes of the show draw nearer, Grimes—who plays Kayce Dutton, the youngest child of John Dutton and father of Tate Dutton—said fans won’t be able to predict the ending.
“I think true to Yellowstone‘s, form, [viewers] won’t be able to see it coming. I feel like that’s the kind of beauty of Taylor’s [Sheridan] writing and it’s always so surprising. It’s never what you thought it was going to be,” he told Newsweek.
“But I think everyone will be really satisfied with, you know, if I would have tried to come up with an ending, I never would have come up with this one, but it’s the perfect one. Because I’m clearly not a writer and even if I was, it would not be as good as Taylor.
“But yeah, I think it’ll just be very satisfying because it’s, I mean, that’s what you want. That’s what you want. And the ending of a great show is something unpredictable and satisfying.”
For those who need a refresher, Season 5, Part 1, of the hit series saw John Dutton (Costner) become governor of Montana, using his political power to protect the family’s ranch from corporate and environmental threats. However, tensions within the family reached a boiling point when Jamie Dutton (Bentley) made a bold move by publicly calling for his father’s impeachment.
Meanwhile, Beth Dutton (Reilly) uncovered Jamie’s scheme and began plotting her own brutal counterstrike. Armed with knowledge of Jamie’s role in the murder of his biological father, Garrett Randall, Beth hinted at using this information to destroy her brother. At the same time, Kayce Dutton (Grimes) wrestled with personal struggles away from the ranch. The season ends with these intense personal and political conflicts hanging in the balance, leaving fans wondering how the Dutton family feud will unfold.
News of Yellowstone‘s abrupt conclusion broke in May 2023, after weeks of reports of creative differences between Costner and Sheridan. One of their disputes was reportedly related to Horizon: An American Saga, a four-part film series directed, produced, and co-written by Costner, who will also star.
Whatever happened between Costner and Sheridan behind the scenes, Paramount ultimately decided to end Yellowstone in its current form following the conclusion of Season 5, Part 2.
“I don’t have the bird’s eye view of that whole situation, you know. All I know is what happened happened and the show rolled with the punches,” Grimes told Newsweek.
“We were able to finish the show and finish it in a way that I think is really gonna work for everybody even in the midst of all that.”
Aside from filming Yellowstone, Grimes has been busy with a variety of other projects, including his country music career. In March, he released his self-titled debut album, Luke Grimes, and in November, he is embarking on his Playin’ On The Tracks Tour, performing in cities such as New York, Nashville and Los Angeles. He is also writing new music, with his inspiration coming from the exciting life he has lived.
The actor and musician is also collaborating with the iconic workwear brand Carhartt, which involves being a part of its “History In The Making” campaign, in which he features in the brand’s short film, Made in Montana, to celebrate the hardworking ranchers and farmers in Montana who are actively working to preserve their land and provide the essential food and natural resources that people rely on every day.
“I started working with Carhartt and we had this partnership and they were informing me that they had a Montana line coming out in the fall and wanted to do something based around Montana,” Grimes explained.
“And we just got to sort of talking about, you know, what that could be and I think we knew right off—and they agreed—that we didn’t want to make it about me or about the fact that I live here, it was more about the fact that I moved here and feel lucky to be able to live here and that I’m new here.
“And you know, kind of delve into—most of the people that have been here for generations and what their experience has been like and how much this place has changed over the generations and how much they’re fighting to sort of keep it the same.
“I just think it was the right approach to tell the story of what’s going on in this valley that I live in and they were cool enough to run with that and even take it beyond my expectation and I loved it.”
