Forget “Succession,” “Barry” or any other prestige drama whose column inches far outweigh its viewership. The most popular scripted TV show in recent years has been the Kevin Costner-starring neo-western “Yellowstone.”
Yes, without much fanfare, the saga of a Montana ranching family and their conflicts with encroaching neighbors gradually built up a strong loyal following: the S5 opener pulled in an impressive 12.1 million viewers compared to the 2.9 million who watched the final act of the Roy family. In fact, the demand for more “Yellowstone” shenanigans was so high that creator Taylor Sheridan has been able to launch not just one spinoff but an astonishing five!
However, its cast members have arguably created just as much high drama off screen. From allegations of cheating and accusations of cultural appropriation to on-set disputes and social media beefs, not to mention numerous run-ins with the law, here’s a look at their shadiest moments.
Kevin Costner faced accusations of sexual harassment
Kevin Costner’s reputation took a bit of a hit in 2004 when a masseuse accused the star of sexual harassment. The unnamed woman alleged that the actor, who plays the “Yellowstone” ranch’s patriarch John Dutton, had deliberately exposed himself during an appointment at the luxury Old Course Hotel in the Scottish town of St. Andrews.
“It was disgusting,” the accuser said in a lawsuit filed against her workplace (via MailOnline). “And even though he was a Hollywood film star I can’t believe he thought he could get away with it. He abused me and I considered that a criminal act.” Costner was actually on his honeymoon at the time having just married Christine Baumgartner and the matter resurfaced in 2023 when news emerged that the latter had started divorce proceedings.
A spokesman for the Academy Award winner told the press, “The referred to allegations were not true then and are not true now. Further, Mr. Costner was never part of any legal proceeding.” At the time of the complaint, his publicist argued that the case was more about a “dispute between a hotel and an ex-employee” than Costner. It was eventually settled by the masseuse.
Luke Grimes refused to play gay
“True Blood” fans no doubt did a double take at the start of its seventh and final season when vampire James appeared on screen as an entirely different person. Was this part of a new body-swapping storyline? After all, the HBO hit had thrown in everything from angels to werewolves as it headed toward its denouement. Nope, the original actor simply didn’t like the fact his character was getting a gay storyline.
Replaced by the seemingly more liberal Nathan Parsons, Luke Grimes — who plays ex-US Navy Seal Kayce Dutton in “Yellowstone” — reportedly objected to James forging a romance with Nelsan Ellis’ Lafayette. A source told BuzzFeed the actor explicitly warned bosses he wouldn’t partake in any same-sex kissing, and with scriptwriters unwilling to make any changes, he decided to say goodbye to the supernatural show.
Craig Schneider, a publicist for Grimes, insisted at the time his client’s exit was merely a case of scheduling conflicts. But Ellis appeared to confirm there was substance to the story when asked about it by Vulture: “I did a documentary called ‘Damn Wonderful,’ about gay suicide, and you make a statement, a big statement, when you go, ‘I don’t want to play this part because it’s gay.’ If you have a child, if you have a son, and he comes out as gay, what are you going to do? If you have a daughter who comes out gay…? You just made a statement, and it has ripple effects.”
Cole Hauser pleaded guilty to DUI
Before taking on the role of John Dutton’s right-hand man Rip Wheeler in “Yellowstone,” Cole Hauser played the equally fearsome drug kingpin Carter Verone in the high-octane sequel “2 Fast 2 Furious.” Unfortunately, in 2016, the actor proved that his real-life judgment behind the wheel leaves a lot to be desired.
Yes, after being spotted driving erratically on a Los Angeles freeway, Hauser was pulled over by local cops and after failing a sobriety test, arrested on a DUI. The star was then taken to a nearby station and released on a $15,000 bail.
Hauser later pleaded no contest to a single count of driving with a 0.8 or above blood alcohol level and was sentenced to three years’ probation. He also had to complete ten days of community service for the California Department of Transportation and an alcohol education initiative that lasted nine months. Furthermore, his car was fitted with an interlocking breathalyzer device which ensured that its engine wouldn’t start if Hauser had touched anything stronger than orange juice.
Did Josh Lucas cheat on his ex-wife?
It’s fair to say that relationship between Josh Lucas, who plays the younger version of Kevin Costner’s John Dutton in “Yellowstone,” and Jessica Ciencin Henriquez is a turbulent one. The pair got married in 2012, divorced two years later and then spent the rest of the decade in a constant state of on/off. Then, during one of their ‘on’ periods, the Hollywood star was accused by his ex-wife of cheating. And in a very public way, too.
Yes, in 2020, a furious Henriquez took to Twitter to throw Lucas’ nice guy reputation into question. She wrote (via People), “Exes are exes for a reason. Having a child with someone makes you want to forgive them more than you normally would, it makes you believe they are better than they are. But it takes a really s*** human to cheat on their partner (correction: now ex partner) in the middle of a pandemic. Thank you for reminding me why I left you in the first place.”
Henriquez claimed that she was airing her dirty laundry in such a fashion to inspire and support other women who have kids with cheating partners, adding, “You’re not stupid for hoping, for believing that people can change.” It’s not known who the ‘other woman’ was but in 2021, news emerged that Lucas was in a relationship with model Rachel Mortenson.
Q’orianka Kilcher was charged with insurance fraud
In 2018, Q’orianka Kilcher injured her shoulder and neck while shooting “Dora and the Lost City of Gold,” something which initially made her eligible for disability insurance. But the fact that she reportedly continued to collect such payments while portraying tribal lawyer Angela Blue Thunder in “Yellowstone” got her into a whole lot of trouble.
Indeed, Kilcher was charged on two counts of insurance fraud relating to workers’ compensation. But the actor’s legal team argued the seriousness of her injuries meant she was still entitled to such benefits. Luckily, the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s office agreed and eventually dismissed all charges.
In a statement given to Fox News, Kilcher expressed how grateful she was for the verdict: “Tomorrow my journey begins to help raise awareness and demand more transparency for worker’s rights within the workers comp system … I look forward to shedding more light on this experience and continuing to do the work I love.”
Ian Bohen tried to police co-star’s grief
In 2015, Arden Cho expressed her shock at the Paris terrorist attacks which resulted in 130 deaths. She tweeted, “What has happened to humanity … Can’t there just be peace? Hurting innocent people for nothing doesn’t take away your pain.” A heartfelt sentiment, for sure, but one which her “Teen Wolf” co-star Ian Bohen felt was slightly undermined by her social media posts the following day.
Cho’s apparent crime was to upload a happy selfie on the set of the supernatural drama to Instagram. Indeed, Bohen called the actor out in the comments section for smiling so soon after the tragedy, something which fans believed was an example of attempting to police someone’s grief.
In fact, the support for Cho was so strong that Bohen ended up deleting his shady responses. Seemingly without much self-awareness, the latter — who plays ranch hand Ryan in “Yellowstone” — later took to Twitter to ask his followers “please stop hating on each other.”
Kelsey Asbille’s true heritage was called into question
In a 2017 interview with The New York Times to promote Taylor Sheridan drama “Wind River,” Kelsey Asbille stated that she was of Eastern Band Cherokee descent. “This role, more than any other, it’s in my blood,” she said, referring to her indigenous character Natalie. Unfortunately for the actor, her claim sparked the interest of American Indians in Film and Television (AIIFT) founder Sonny Skyhawk.
Determined to dig a little deeper, Skyhawk contacted the Cherokee Nation’s Tribal Enrollment Office who said they couldn’t find any record of Asbille or her heritage. The star has never addressed such doubts but once again made herself a target when she accepted the part of John Dutton’s Native American daughter-in-law Monica in another Sheridan project, “Yellowstone.”
Asbille’s casting also prompted “Suicide Squad” star Adam Beach, a Saulteaux Anishinaabe, to launch a protest against the Paramount Network original before its premiere. He told BuzzFeed News, “What got me jolted by it was that I have a lot of Native female actors that need a job. I immediately called it out.”
Lane Garrison was convicted of manslaughter
Where to start with Lane Garrison, the actor who played Blake’s friend Ray in four episodes of the second season of “Yellowstone.” In 2007, he was given a 40-month jail sentence after pleading guilty to several charges, the most serious of which was vehicular manslaughter.
Garrison was found to have twice the legal blood-alcohol level limit, as well as cocaine, in his system following a car accident which took the life of his 17-year-old passenger Vahagn Setian. Two 15-year-old girls were also injured in the crash in Beverly Hills. Garrison had only met the victims earlier that same night outside a liquor store before joining them at a high school party — he was in his mid-twenties at the time. On his release from jail in the spring of 2009, the actor also had to pay $300,000 compensation to the families of those affected and serve a four-year parole term.
In 2012, Garrison once again found himself in trouble with the law. This time around, it was for assaulting ex-girlfriend Ashley Mattingly outside her Los Angeles apartment. The star managed to avoid a return to prison after pleading no contest and instead was ordered to complete a year of Alcoholics Anonymous and eight hours’ community service.
Wolé Parks was convicted of leaving the scene of an accident
Remarkably, Lane Garrison isn’t the only “Yellowstone” cast member who killed someone in a 2006 car accident. Wolé Parks, who played Dan’s gun instructor Torry in the second season of Taylor Sheridan’s heartland drama, wasn’t deemed to be at fault for the tragedy. But he was still charged with leaving the scene.
Parks was driving with a suspended license when he ran over 25-year-old New York University student Hannah Engle in Brooklyn. According to the Assistant District Attorney, the actor “had the green light, was not speeding, committed no traffic infractions and did not appear intoxicated.” Despite fleeing, he eventually turned himself in four hours later and several months on pleaded guilty to the misdemeanor.
Police reported they could smell alcohol on Parks’ breath when he showed up. But with the star claiming that he’d only drunk after the incident and no proof to suggest otherwise, no further charges were brought. He was, however, still ordered to attend an alcohol counseling program during his sentencing as well as serve 250 hours’ community service and a year’s probation.
Taylor Sheridan developed a God complex
According to various reports, it appears as though Taylor Sheridan has let the fact he’s co-created one of the most popular shows on TV go to his head. Indeed, the multi-talent, who occasionally pops up in “Yellowstone” as horse trader Travis Wheatley, has been accused of having a God complex due to his demanding behavior on set.
Sheridan didn’t exactly dismiss such talk in an interview with The Hollywood Reporter. “I’m very blunt with every single person — the production staff, the studio, the network,” he admitted. “I said, ‘Look, I invented this thing that I wrote down on paper and I’ve been entrusted to make it into a story that this network goes and sells. Your job is to try and get me there under budget … So if I’m parking 20 million people in front of a television, if I’m beating NFL Sunday Night Football routinely, I think the fact I wanted four cameras and worked late into Friday — I don’t think that’s a bad trade.
Sheridan’s mantra that “you don’t get to tell me no” was said to have sparked a feud with Kevin Costner. A source told MailOnline that the showrunner had once told his leading man to “stick to acting” when he expressed his concerns about his character John Dutton’s story. Costner ended up leaving “Yellowstone” before it was announced its fifth season would be its last.
Wes Bentley pleaded guilty to heroin possession
In 2008, Wes Bentley was arrested for the possession of heroin and later ordered to attend a 12-step rehab program after he pleaded guilty to the charge. But as the “American Beauty” star would later reveal, that wasn’t even half the story.
Speaking to The New York Times two years on, Bentley admitted that between 2002 and 2009 he took on whichever roles he could solely to get money for drugs. And in a chat with Men’s Health a decade on, the actor expanded on just how desperate his situation was: “That period was incredibly dark. I did really dangerous stuff. I went downtown. I went and hung with really shady people. I wasn’t trying to kill myself or anything. That was just me: Go far. Be the guy who went the furthest.”
Bentley, who plays John Dutton’s attorney general adopted son Jamie in “Yellowstone,” did thankfully manage to get clean with the help of another troubled star, Robert Downey Jr., and wife Jacqui Swedberg. Referring to the latter, he added, “I met a girl, and this girl was awesome and funny and just had the weirdest sense of humor and made me laugh and made me want to live again — like, live live, not go deal drugs.”
Michael Nouri was arrested for domestic violence
In 2012, Michael Nouri was arrested for several offenses relating to an incident at his Beverly Hills home. The actor, who plays financer CEO Bob Schwartz in “Yellowstone,” was released on $50,000 bail following allegations of domestic violence made by his girlfriend at the time.
Nouri was booked with false imprisonment, suspicion of battery and obstructing the use of a wireless device, the latter relating to his unwillingness to let the unnamed woman call for help via her mobile phone.
Seven months later, however, the case was thrown out when the accuser failed to show up in court. Gary Jay Kaufman, the actor’s attorney told the press (via CBS Los Angeles), “The District Attorney’s Office came to the conclusion that a dismissal was warranted in the interests of justice. I’m thrilled that Michael can now put this behind him and focus on what he does best — being a great actor.”
Hugh Dillon was banished from his Ontario hometown
Hugh Dillon, who plays Sheriff Donnie Haskell in “Yellowstone,” is better known as the lead vocalist in Canadian punk outfit Headstones. And it turns out that he led quite the rock and roll lifestyle long before making it big.
In fact, as he revealed to Express in 2023, Dillon was banished from his Ontario hometown of Kingstown for five years by his own mother because of his reckless behavior: “At one point I was living in England because I had to leave the country because I was involved in drugs and guns and it was 1981 and I moved to Brixton. My parents said, ‘Where do you want to go?’ and I always loved music and culture, loved the Pistols and The Clash and said, ‘I don’t know, London.'”
If Dillon’s parents thought that life on the other side of the Atlantic would get their son on the straight and narrow, then they were sorely mistaken. The multi-talent proved to be just as troublesome, even ending up in court after getting arrested. Still, this lifestyle at least inspired him to co-create crime drama “Mayor of Kingstown” with Taylor Sheridan: “For me, I was always driven to this [life] of drugs and crime and you write what you know.”
Will Patton was charged with a DUI
Will Patton is another “Yellowstone” cast member who’s disgraced himself by getting behind the wheel while intoxicated. The actor, who plays Jamie’s biological dad Garrett Randall in the heartland drama, was charged with a DUI in 2016 after being spotted driving erratically on the Isle of Palms.
Best known for his roles in box office hits “Armageddon” and “Gone in Sixty Seconds,” Patton not only refused to take a blood alcohol test when stopped by cops. He also failed the test for sobriety, something which probably didn’t come as a surprise to officers when they asked if he’d been drinking and he replied, “Not too much, a couple bottles … er … couple of glasses of wine.”
Patton, who also picked up and put down his vehicle registration several times, leaned against his vehicle to steady himself and had bloodshot eyes, was then taken to Charleston County jail and released on a personal recognizance bond of nearly $1000.
