Kevin Costner Says He's Not in a 'Rush' to Watch 'Yellowstone' Premiere After Learning of His Character's Tragic Fate

Kevin Costner has weighed in on his character's traumatic ending after Yellowstone Season 5, part 2 premiered on Sunday, November 10.

“Well, I'm going to be perfectly honest. I didn't know it was actually airing last night. That's a swear to God moment. I swear to God. I mean, I've been seeing ads with my face all over the place and I'm thinking, ‘Gee, I'm not in that one.’ I'm not in this season," the actor, 69, who left the series before the second half of Season 5 premiered amid rumors of a feud between him and showrunner Taylor Sheridan, said during a special live town hall edition of “The Michael Smerconish Program” on SiriusXM.

In its fifth and final season, the show focuses on the Dutton family, who own the largest rang in Montana, including patriarch John (Costner) and his adult children Kayce (Luke Grimes), Jamie (Wes Bentley), Beth (Kelly Reilly) and Beth’s husband, Rip (Cole Hauser).

The second half of the season kicked off with axing Costner's character.

“I didn't see it. I heard it's a suicide, so that doesn't make me want to rush to go see it,” Costner said, to which the radio host noted his character didn't seem like "a suicide kind of guy."

Costner responded, “Well, they're pretty smart people. Maybe it's a red herring. Who knows? They're very good. And they'll figure that out.”

Earlier this year, Costner rattled Yellowstone fans when it was revealed he wouldn't be returning to the ranch. During the new interview, he made it clear he didn't quit the series.

“Yeah, I didn't really have to leave anything behind. There were the gaps that were there. There was contractual things that would allow for both things to be done, but because both things were contractual, you had to make room for the other thing. There was room, but it was difficult for them to keep their schedule. It seemed to be, it was just too difficult for them to do it. There was the time there, what happened, you can deal with it. But no one, I didn't leave. I didn't quit the show. Okay? I had made a contract to do all three. There was a contract in place to do all three," he declared.

"And within about an eight-month period, two more different kind of contracts were being negotiated. Not at my request, but at their request to try to do things. I accommodated them on those extra two things that changed, things change, and finally when they wanted to change it a third time, because I had my obligations to do, I had 300 people waiting for me, I couldn't help them anymore. I just simply couldn't help them. But I didn't quit the show. There was no, there was just a, you know, everybody has to live up to what they say they're going to do. And it doesn't matter what business you're in," he continued.

In June, the Hollywood star said even while working on Horizon: An American Saga, a four-part film series about the American West, he was focused on the Paramount+ series.

"I wanted to work more than once a year and it was important that I made room for Yellowstone and made room for Horizon, but people ran through deadlines. They were busy; they had a lot to do," he said on CBS Mornings.