Luke Grimes says ‘Yellowstone’ is his late father’s favorite thing he’s ever done

Luke Grimes breathes life into the ever-handsome Kayce Dutton on Paramount’s number one series, Yellowstone. With an exciting fifth season on the horizon, Grimes is opening up about the future of the series and the beauty of being part of Taylor Sheridan’s story. 

Speaking to the New York Post, he talked about everything from Kayce’s future (well, sort of) to the bond between the actors and the bittersweet moment he shared with his father on set. He also opened up about his upcoming career turn, which surprised fans last month. You know, the Instagram announcement where Grimes shared that he’s not just joined the social media platform but is entering the country music realm and making his on-stage debut at Stagecoach.

Be still our Grimes-loving hearts. 

Grimes understands the emotions tied into his Yellowstone character, and some fans often question Kayce’s affinity for finding danger like a hound dog on a hunt. 

“Yeah, he’s very prone to, like, stumbling into violence. He has a hard time not getting into some sort of fight. He should just stay at home.”

Of course, fans of Yellowstone know that staying home isn’t an option for Kayce. He is a Dutton, after all, and they live every waking (or sleeping) moment of their lives with a target on their back. Sometimes, the Duttons are public enemy number one, but there are breaks in the fight where they can step back and appreciate all of it.

That is precisely what Grimes did when he brought his father to the set, and it’s a memory he treasures. Randy Grimes was a big fan of Yellowstone, and he passed away in February of this year. Grimes spoke of him with a profound love when asked if his father loved the series as much as we all do. 

“Big-time fan, huge, huge. This was his favorite thing I’ve done, by far. I took him to the set a couple of times, him and my mom, and they got to meet Kevin and Taylor. It was really special to do something he was so proud of. I’m so glad he got to see me realize a dream in that way.”

Grimes sharing that dream with his father makes the experience mean so much more to him, and he’ll carry him around the Yellowstone Dutton Ranch for all the days he spends there. Fans certainly hope the days he has there are long-lasting, dreaming of an aging Kayce enjoying the fruits of the family labor — perhaps even with an older John Dutton sitting beside him. 

So is a dream-like future in the cards for Kayce? Grimes isn’t telling. When asked about his character’s fate, his response was on brand for those associated with the series. In short, his lips are sealed. 

“I feel like it would be frowned upon to divulge. I feel like I would get a phone call. So I’m gonna plead the fifth on that one.”

One thing Grimes was willing to talk about is his relationship with his co-star and his on-screen father, Kevin Costner. Costner is almost an other-worldly presence to those who have long admired his talent, but that is just an idea; the man himself is more down to earth. 

“He (Costner) always wants you to come hang out at his trailer down by this creek. He’s got a fire pit, and he’s a musician, so he’s always got a guitar around and won’t hesitate to play you a song. He does a really good job of taking the pressure off what a huge icon he is.”

There’s a true beauty in the way the co-stars have come together to form a family unit similar to the one they portray on screen. The best part of it all? The fight for survival isn’t at the forefront of their minds in their personal lives. When Luke and Kevin sit down for dinner, there’s not a tense and heartbreaking sense of longing in the air. When Cole Hauser and Kelly Reilly join them, there are no awkward moments to sort through at the table. They’re just a family, one we adore in all of their dramatic moments and in their off-screen bonds too.

You can see the Duttons in the first four seasons of Paramount’s epic cowboy drama Yellowstone, now on Peacock.