"Yellowstone" creator Taylor Sheridan is addressing Kevin Costner's sudden exit from the flagship series.
"I'm disappointed," Sheridan told The Hollywood Reporter. "It truncates the closure of his character. It doesn't alter it, but it truncates it."
As the patriarch John Dutton, Costner has been at the center of the series since it began, which earned him a Golden Globe for the part. However, he has expressed interest to leave the show prior to its end with the forthcoming second half of its fifth season.
MORE: 'Yellowstone' to end with 5th season but a sequel series is underwaySheridan suggested the actor's departure was to focus on his own four-part western film series, "Horizon," and not creative differences, as has been rumored.
"My opinion of Kevin as an actor hasn't altered," Sheridan said. "His creation of John Dutton is symbolic and powerful ... and I've never had an issue with Kevin that he and I couldn’t work out on the phone."
He continued, "But once lawyers get involved, then people don't get to talk to each other and start saying things that aren't true and attempt to shift blame based on how the press or public seem to be reacting. He took a lot of this on the chin and I don't know that anyone deserves it."
Sheridan said he wishes Costner nothing but luck.
"His movie seems to be a great priority to him and he wants to shift focus," he said. "I sure hope [the movie is] worth it -- and that it's a good one."
