Kevin Costner shares what drew him to the role of ‘Yellowstone’

Kevin Costner is one of the biggest movie stars of his generation, but in recent years he’s had his biggest impact as the star of the hit TV series. Yellowstone.

Costner spoke to Variety for a new in-depth article on the show’s creator, Taylor Sheridan, and during the interview he explained what initially attracted him to his starring role as Dutton patriarch John Duton.

“I saw the dialogue had a fun, realistic approach. It was raw. It was dysfunctional,” Costner recounts. Variety. “And it was against a backdrop of mountains, rivers, valleys and people on horseback, which is very appealing.”

Paramount Network rose from the ashes of what used to be Spike TV in 2017, and as part of its rebranding effort, the fledgling network pledged to deliver high market value to a major star to help launch Yellowstone as a flagship show. Costner struck a deal for $500,000 per episode before filming began on the show, and the huge offer was a strategic move on Paramount’s part, network chief Kevin Kay told The Hollywood Reporter.

“The statement we wanted to make was that we’re open for business and we’re willing to pay top performers regardless of their quotes,” he said in 2017. is what we want to do.”

Even with such a big star, Yellowstone was not a mainstream success straight out of the gate. The show grew into a television ratings phenomenon over the course of four seasons, beginning with strong support in America’s heartland and eventually building significant numbers in more urban centers. Season 4 in 2021 saw Yellowstone became the most-watched cable drama on television after dramatically increasing its viewership during the pandemic lockdown, during which many new viewers discovered the modern western by watching rehearsal marathons.

“I don’t start something unless I think it has a chance to be great,” Costner says. “I felt that people who saw it would appreciate it. But when something gets that kind of extra kick, you can’t predict it.

The Oscar-winning actor, director and producer attributes the show’s broad appeal to the fact that it shines a light on a gritty, rural way of life that some viewers aren’t otherwise exposed to.

“Whether people want to admit it or not, some people don’t realize that this way of life is still alive,” he observes. “This meat does not arrive in our cities without someone getting up early in the morning and late at night to take care of these animals in one way or another. It’s still a way of life. You know that the country still has wide open spaces. And [Yellowstone] take all that into account.”

Yellowstone has been renewed for Season 5, and Sheridan has already capitalized on the show’s success with a massively popular prequel titled 1883, which starred Tim McGraw and Faith Hill and told the story of how the Duttons came to settle on the ranch in Montana. There is also another prequel titled 1932 on the way, which will tell the story of the Duttons through the Great Depression, and yet another upcoming spin-off titled 6666 takes place on a ranch in Texas that Yellowstone introduced as part of Jimmy’s (Jefferson White) storyline in Season 4.

A first date for Yellowstone Season 5 is yet to be announced.