No matter the show, no matter the time, controversies follow. Whether it be on set or off ser, some of your favorite shows can be full of controversies. While many controversies lie in the badly-dated scripts, the bulk of the drama surrounding Yellowstone has been off the set.
For those who don’t know, Yellowstone is a Western drama series starring Kevin Costner as the patriarch of the Dutton family. We follow the Dutton family on their ranch as they try to maintain their property in Montana. (And in case you missed it, the fifth season premiered on Nov 13!)
From controversies centered around Costner’s marriage and work ethic to fraud chargers other celebrities on the show garnered, there’s a lot more happening behind the scenes than you may think. (Plus, we gotta include a couple of on-set controversies not many fans know about).
Check out the biggest offscreen controversies with the cast and crew of Yellowstone below:
Kelsey Asbille’s Heritage
For those who don’t know, Kelsey Asbille plays the Native American character Monica, and she herself identified as being of Cherokee descent back in 2017. She identified herself a year later for W as “Chinese, English, and Cherokee.” Producer Sonny Skyhawk questioned this since the Cherokee Nation’s Tribal Enrollment Office had no record of her.
Per their website, they process “Certificate of Degree of Indian Blood (CDIB), Dawes and Tribal Citizenship applications and issues CDIB, Citizenship, and Photo ID cards,” and Skyhawk had fans question after this detail came out.
She’s never publicly discussed this finding.
Christine Baumgartner & Kevin Costner’s Messy Divorce
Christine Baumgartner and Kevin Costner were together for nearly 20 years until Baumgartner filed for divorce in May of 2023. Their divorce consistently made headlines with the bitter details such as splitting up the house, assets, child support payments, and the Yellowstone drama. They finalized their divorce in Sept 2023.
Scheduling Conflicts at PaleyFest
Fans were quite displeased when numerous cast members dropped out of Paleyfest. Kevin Costner, Taylor, Sheridan, Cole Hauser, Luke Grimes, Wes Bentley, Kelly Reilly, Kelsey Asbille, Gil Birmingham and Jacki Weaver all dropped out last minute due to “scheduling conflicts,” so Josh Lucas, Wendy Moniz, Mo Brings Plenty and Dawn Olivieri took their place.
Luke Grimes’ Career Shift
Many were shocked when Luke Grimes exited True Bloods after a few episodes, especially since many liked his character. But he left the show and joined Yellowstone soon after. Despite the show creators saying he left for creative differences, and his team backing that up, BuzzFeed reported that he was uncomfortable playing a bisexual character who would later have a same-sex romance.
Q’orianka Kilcher’s Disability Fraud Controversy
Q’orianka Kilcher, who plays Angela Blue Thunder in Yellowstone, was charged with workers’ compensation fraud in July 2022, and was subsequently accused of collecting more than $90,000 in disability benefits. In February 2023, the charges were dropped.
The Never-Ending Production Delays
While some claimed Kevin Costner was the reason for the delays, in May 2023, an insider told Us Weekly that the production “holdup” was outside of the actor’s control. The SAG-AFTRA strike probably played a major hand in it, along with balancing other actor’s schedules since the longtime between seasons.
Worry Over the Animal Living Conditions
Many activists were alarmed with how the animals in the show were being treated on and off set, with the biggest issue coming after reports of a horse being injured during filming came to light.
Kevin Costner’s Mysterious Future
For quite a couple of years, especially in those few months where his divorce from Christine Baumgartner was making headlines everywhere, people were convinced Kevin Costner would be leaving the show prematurely. Per US Weekly, many thought he was leaving, and it got so bad that the network had to let them know that wasn’t the case.
Taylor Sheridan’s Stance on Donald Trump
Before Yellowstone premiered, Taylor Sheridan blasted Donald Trump, but years later, he stepped back on that stance and said he didn’t “recall” saying those things, per The Wrap.
Plagiarism Accusations
Back in 2020, a playwright named J.C. Lee accused Yellowstone of plagiarizing key elements from his play Cowboy Church, per Teller99, but nothing came out of it except for online debates.
Kelly Reilly’s Alleged Off-Set Behavior with Cast Members
