'Yellowstone' star talks working with Kevin Costner: 'He's a major leaguer'
"Yellowstone" actor Gil Birmingham talks working with all-star cast at 2023 Critics Choice Awards
"Yellowstone" star Wes Bentley is speaking out on rumors of behind-the-scenes drama regarding Kevin Costner's future on the hit Paramount Network show.
Earlier this month, Deadline reported "Yellowstone" might be coming to end due to scheduling conflicts with Costner, 68, who reportedly wanted to reduce his time filming the Taylor Sheridan-created western series.
However, Bentley, 44, who plays Jamie Dutton, the adopted son of Costner's character John Dutton, expressed his optimism about the show's future while admitting he wasn't involved in the discussions.
"The news that’s come out recently about the show is, you know, it’s above my pay grade," Bentley told Entertainment Weekly in an interview published Saturday.
YELLOWSTONE' STAR TALKS KEVIN COSTNER'S FATE ON THE SHOW AMID RUMORS HE'S LEAVING
"Yellowstone" star Wes Bentley weighed in on rumors of behind-the-scenes drama involving Kevin Costner. (Jerod Harris/Getty Images for Paramount Network)
"Different people making decisions. I know that they’re still working on it, is what I’m being told — working on working things out with everyone to make sure we shoot.
"And I’m confident we will. We always have before. I think it’s probably a bit of drama over nothing."
On Thursday, Costner's lawyer, Marty Singer, slammed reports that the actor was not willing to work as much to film season 5 and season 6 of "Yellowstone."
"The idea that Kevin was only willing to work one week on the second half of season 5 of ‘Yellowstone’ is an absolute lie," Singer said in a statement to Fox News Digital. "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."
Earlier this month, Paramount Network shot down rumors Costner was leaving "Yellowstone" at the end of season 5.
Rumors have swirled that Costner might be leaving the hit show due to scheduling conflicts. (Axelle/Bauer-Griffin/FilmMagic)
"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," a spokesperson for the network told Fox News Digital.
Last week, Bentley opened up about how the patriarch's death could affect his character in an interview with TV Line.
"I thought about this in season 1," the actor said while attending SCAD TVFest. "Because it’s always a possibility in TV, right? We’re always ready to die. … [And John] really has got this hypnotic pull on Jamie."
Bentley explained that Costner's character running for governor changed his character's thoughts on the potential fate of John Dutton.
Bentley explained that his character wouldn't have known what to do if Costner's character had died before his run for governor.
"Jamie would have been completely lost," the actor explained. "Maybe part of him would be frantic trying to take care of the ranch.
"I really do think he means what he says. He would feel that burden and maybe panic."
However, now that John Dutton has become the governor of Montana, things are a little different.
Costner's lawyer slammed reports that the actor was not willing to work as much to film season 5 and season 6 of "Yellowstone." (Paramount Network)
"After John ran for governor and became the thing he said he hated, Jamie started to have a change of perspective," Bentley said. "Maybe John is not this tough guy he says he is. Maybe John doesn’t have ideas. Maybe he’s just another guy like the rest of them.
"That’s the loss of the pedestal [he was on]," he added. "The deity is gone. I think that’s why Jamie’s choosing to try to have him killed. [He realizes that his] life would be much better without him, which is a big change for Jamie."
In his interview with Entertainment Weekly, Bentley shared that one of his favorite parts about "Yellowstone" is his character's complicated relationship with Beth (Kelly Reilly), which he believes has "hit an inflection point."
"We've got something coming," he told the outlet. "We're both threatening each other now in some serious ways. It's a mystery to me too where it's going. I just know this is an inflection point.
"Something major will come of this moment between Jamie and Beth. This is kind of the final straw. He didn't know how much Beth was really fed up with him until really recently, and I think that has now flipped a switch in Jamie that he feels similarly."
Paramount Network has announced "Yellowstone" season 5 is set to return in the summer of 2023. (Frazer Harrison/Getty Images for Paramount Network)
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The "American Horror Story" alum said he had hoped for "some reconciliation" between the pair but believes Sheridan has taken the story in the right direction.
"They were going to destroy each other from the beginning, whether they knew it or not," he said.
Bentley also said he shares the audience's excitement and anticipation over the series' many twists and turns.
"I wait for that next script and with the same kind of anticipation our fans do for the next episode to be aired because, you know, Taylor surprises us so much,"he told Entertainment Weekly.
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"And I'm so interested in everyone. I'm so invested in more than just Jamie. I'm invested in the whole thing now. We all talk about it on set — you know, all the possibilities. We do our own fan fiction."
Paramount Network has announced "Yellowstone" season 5 is set to return in the summer of 2023.
Fox News Digital's Lauryn Overhultz contributed to this report.
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