Kevin Costner and Yellowstone co-star Wes Bentley got into a heated argument that left Kelly Reilly in tears.
According to The Hollywood Reporter, which published a lengthy profile of Costner’s career and reputation on Wednesday, the scuffle arose over the veteran actor’s desire to deviate from the script for a greener actor.
Costner, who starred as John Dutton and also served as an executive producer on the western family drama series, was filming tense scenes with his on-screen children Bentley and Riley on a soundstage in Utah.
Tensions boiled over between takes as director Costner, 70, urged Bentley, 47, to abandon director Taylor Sheridan’s script and improvise the moment in his own way.
However, Bentley refused because, as he explained to his father on-screen, it was a call from Sheridan, not Costner.
“Kevin didn’t like that and lunged at him,” an eyewitness told THR.
Although “no fists were thrown,” the men “just got in each other’s faces, pushing and shoving, and things just got heated until they had to pull away,” the source said.
Sources say the interaction left Riley in tears and production was temporarily halted.
When Yellowstone premiered in 2018, Costner was a big fish in a small pond, as the cast was made up of relatively unknown actors.
However, according to THR, the huge success of the first two seasons changed the power dynamics on set in Sheridan’s favor.
Sources said some cast members eventually grew tired of Costner’s “diva-like” attitude.
“What happened with Wes was a red flag. Everything was different after that,” explained another person who witnessed the match.
“Taylor was really upset because everyone loved Wes. Then Kevin and Taylor butted heads and it became a very awkward situation.”
A representative for Bentley confirmed the incident, but called it simply “a work-related altercation during a mentally and physically demanding situation” and said the matter had been “discussed and resolved.”
A representative for Costner, whose character was killed off at the beginning of the fifth and final season, declined to comment.
