Rumors of a potential break-up between Yellowstone creator Taylor Sheridan and star Kevin Costner have continued to grow in recent weeks. It was first reported back on February 6 when Deadline shared stories about the tension between the two.
Now, according to a report from Puck News, disputes between Costner and Sheridan have made their way into the public’s view. Puck reports that one member of Costner circle commented on a post about Sheridan’s show “Tulsa King” as tensions have continually increased on the set of Yellowstone. The comment on the post read the following:
“Stick to westerns, bro. You don’t know [expletive] about THIS life. Stay in your lane, country boy. I’m actually embarrassed for you as a writer and creator.”
That aggressive post came from the account of Glenn Kleczkowski, long-time assistant to Kevin Costner. According to Puck News, the post was subsequently deleted but still made its rounds, going all the way to Paramount Media Networks president and C.E.O. Chris McCarthy and to Taylor Sheridan himself. Puck also noted that this is not a new issue and that Costner and Sheridan have had a strained relationship for a while, saying:
“Costner tried noting Sheridan during the first couple seasons of Yellowstone, which I’m told didn’t go over well. And once the show became a smash hit, Costner is said to have begun squeezing. He demanded to be compensated for promotion days, say two sources, despite a contract that pays him $1.2 million per episode for the 16 episodes of this fifth season, rising to $1.5 million per episode if there is a Season 6, plus an overall deal with MTV Entertainment Studios that runs through 2025. A couple seasons ago, Costner’s WME team closed a major renegotiation, then he went back to his lead agent of ten years, Brad Slater, who had put Costner in Yellowstone in the first place, and demanded that Slater re-open the deal for additional asks.”
It is worth noting that while Costner has taken hits in all of this from the media, his camp maintains that he has worked as hard as he can with the sole goal of creating the best show possible with Yellowstone. In a quote shared by the Puck, Costner’s attorney said exactly this:
“The idea that Kevin was only willing to work one week on the second half of season five of Yellowstone is an absolute lie. It’s ridiculous — and anyone suggesting it shouldn’t be believed for one second. As everyone who knows anything about Kevin is well aware, he is incredibly passionate about the show and has always gone way above and beyond to ensure its success.”
Also important is the response that a Paramount spokesperson gave to the rumors of issues with Costner on the set earlier this month when turmoil first arose, saying:
“We have no news to report. Kevin Costner is a big part of Yellowstone and we hope that’s the case for a long time to come. Thanks to the brilliant mind of Taylor Sheridan, we are always working on franchise expansions of this incredible world he has built. Matthew McConaughey is a phenomenal talent with whom we’d love to partner.”
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