Kevin Costner Speaks Out About ‘Yellowstone’ Exit, Threatens to Sue Producers Over Salary
02.09.2023 - 04:31
/ variety.com
Michael Schneider Variety Editor at Large “Yellowstone” star Kevin Costner is threatening to sue the show’s producers over money he believes he’s still owed from the series. The actor spoke publicly on Friday for the first time about his falling out with the hit Paramount Network series, while on the stand in a Santa Barbara courtroom.
Costner discussed the “Yellowstone” acrimony during a child support hearing, part of his divorce proceedings from wife Christine Baumgartner. As described by People magazine and other outlets that attended the hearings, Costner — whose impending exit from “Yellowstone” was previously reported in February — expressed frustration with not being able to continue on the series.
At the time, it was suggested that Costner would potentially exit the series (on which he has played John Dutton since it launched in 2018) due to his shooting schedule, with Costner being available for fewer days as the show has progressed. But on Friday, Costner noted that he “changed” his schedule to shoot the first part of “Yellowstone” Season 5, forcing him to take focus away from his own four-part movie franchise that kicks off with “Horizon: An American Saga.” But with no scripts written for the second part of Season 5, and a “pay or play” clause meant that Costner should have still received $12 million for that second half of Season 5 (just as he should have for the first half).
According to People, when Costner was asked if he’d receive his salary for the second half of Season 5, he said, “I will probably go to court over it.” It was the Season 5 split, he said, calling it a “long, hard-fought negotiation,” that led to his exit. As for the question over whether he would have returned for a Season 6, Costner
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