‘Yellowstone’ Star Luke Grimes Reveals Emotional Final Season

As the television series Yellowstone draws to an end, Newsweek spoke with star Luke Grimes on how it feels to say goodbye to a project he has been a part of for seven years.

The popular Western drama, written by Taylor Sheridan and John Linson, debuted in 2018 after filming began in 2017.

It follows the Dutton family, lead by patriarch John Dutton (Kevin Costner), who owns the biggest contiguous cattle ranch in the United States, as they fight to protect their property and way of life from continual threats.

Grimes plays Kayce Dutton, John’s youngest kid, and the two men have a difficult and tense relationship.

Season 5, Part 1 of Yellowstone aired from November 2022 to January 2023, with the second half of the last season set to premiere on November 10, 2024.

The fifth and final season of Yellowstone was announced in May 2023. According to Grimes, the decision of leaving the popular show was “not at all” easy.

He said, “You know, I wrapped filming over a month ago and it’s still. I’m still sort of processing all of that and I still have moments of the day where, you know, it feels very heavy and very big that that’s over and that chapter of my life is over because it was a huge part of my life.”.

“I played the character for seven years, starting in 2017. And, you know, my castmates and crew were like family.

And there are people who will remain in my life, and I will see them from time to time, but only in the capacity that we were creating something together that we all believed in, that was so good, and we were somewhere beautiful.

“It was such a special project and I doubt it will ever be topped in my life.” When asked what he misses most about Yellowstone, the actor mentioned two things: his friends and the character he played.

“Two things popped out: one is the people, the sort of, you know, the set family that we created, and I guess the other would be the character,” said the actor.

“I fell in love with Kayce over the years, and I believe that as an actor, you should approach a role with affection. You want to look up to them so you can do them credit, and I did that with him.” I think he’s a far better guy than I am and I’m going to miss him.”.

It has not been easy for Grimes to say goodbye to the program, which has consumed so much of his life; hence he has kept himself busy with a number of other ventures, including his country music career.

He published his self-titled debut album, “Luke Grimes,” in March, and will embark on his Play in’ on the Tracks Tour in November, with stops in New York, Nashville, and Los Angeles.

“We’re going on a tour this fall, so I’ll be visiting some cities I’ve never been to before. And we’re presently working on another record, which we want to release next year,” he told Newsweek.

“So, there’s plenty to look forward to. I simply consider myself fortunate to be able to perform music. It’s not anything I expected, and I’ve just been fortunate enough to enjoy the process, which I intend to continue for a long time.

Grimes mentioned that some sources of inspiration to write music are varied and can come in different ways, one of which is having led a very interesting life.

In this case, having traveled all around the world due to work makes the person different because of the experiences and things he has learned.

“Like any artist, I draw inspiration from my life and experiences,” he said to him. He continued: “I have been fortunate in that my experiences have been so diverse, covering the broadest range of cultures, social constructions, and economic conceptions.”

“I’ve been able to travel the world, play so many different roles, live in so many different places-so that all feeds into it,.”. Seriously, “I am a very lucky person to have had a life like this-one that is so interesting that I can talk about via the songs.”

According to Luminate, an analytics firm for the industry, country music is the lead genre in the United States in terms of fastest-growing streams. While on-demand audio streams leaped 23.7% beyond last year’s levels and again crossed 20 billion.

Genre would seem to have had a renaissance in 2024, in which Beyoncé has made a country album, country songs go viral on TikTok every other week, and the top of the charts keep busting out with fresh country and folk stars, Noah Kahan, Lainey Wilson, and Zach Bryan, to name a few.

“I think it always kind of ebbs and flows, but I think people are sort of craving—just with the way technology is going, the way that music gets more electronic and more digital and kind of easier to produce—quantity over quality,” said Grimes.

“I think country music has always been about the song, about humans writing lyrics, playing music on instruments, and just getting back to the basics of what Americana music is. I think people are just looking for it now because they haven’t had it in a minute.”

“I think one of my favorite things about country is the way it enables you to express your emotional life, be it sadness, happiness, or family life. It’s a human experience minus philosophy; it’s about the facts of existence.”

He is also working with the legendary workwear brand Carhartt, and he appears in the brand’s “History In The Making” campaign.

He is featured in the brand’s short film, Made in Montana, honoring hardworking ranchers and farmers throughout Montana who are working around the clock to preserve their land while furnishing the food and natural resources people rely on each and every day.

While anticipating a happy ending to the popular series Yellowstone, many fans feel both excitement and sadness, as the show, which since its debut in 2018 captures all hearts, has become a revolutionary drama of life at a Montana ranch and the dynamics of family and power.

Among the ensemble cast of Yellowstone is Luke Grimes playing Kayce Dutton, who, to everyone’s surprise, has now become the darling of fans everywhere, widely hailed for his subtle performance. Recently, Grimes sat down for a discussion about the final season of Yellowstone and disclosed some of the emotional weight and what fans can expect to see.

The Weight of the Final Season
He described the last season as “very heavy,” in terms both the cast and the audience could relate to. It is very clear that not only in the plot does the weight of the last storyline exist, but also between characters.

As elaborated by Grimes, personal versus people conflicts, moral dilemma and family loyalty “all coming together to make it heavier than ever.”. It’s always been drama and tension, but it reached new levels in intensity as it certainly goes into its final act.

Grimes especially spoke about the emotional rollercoaster in terms of wrapping up arcs of characters that fans have followed for seasons on end. “When you’ve played a character for so long, it becomes a part of you,” he explained.

“Saying goodbye to Kayce is not only a goodbye to the character but to the experiences and the journey we have all shared together.” These deep connections make the performances even more layered as the cast explores final moments of their characters with such care and depth.

Kayce Dutton has undergone a lot of developments since the start of the series. Introduced to the audience as a war veteran struggling with fitting in with the powerful Dutton family, his character has evolved into a complex individual with issues dealing with identity, loyalty, and the moral aspect of the legacy within his family.

Grimes mentioned how these changes have shaped his portrayal of Kayce by saying, “It’s been fascinating to explore the layers of his character. Each season, he faces choices that challenge his values and beliefs. “

The final season of the show sees Kayce facing the after-effects of everything that he did in his past and tries to construct a future on his own while all the chaos is brewing at various points in his life.

Even while insisting on authenticity, Grimes asserted that “I want to do justice to Kayce’s journey. His struggles deserve the reflection of the audience in a genuine way.” It is quite clear that Grimes is committed to authenticity when he performs.

At the heart of Yellowstone, therefore, has been the complicated family dynamics and the legacy that ties them together.

As the Dutton family deals with external threats and internal conflicts, loyalty becomes the most pertinent focus. Grimes said that in this final season, these ideas are explored in more detail-as in Kayce’s dynamic with his father, John Dutton (Kevin Costner), and his wife, Monica (Kelsey Asbille).

“The family bond is really robust, but it is always fraught with tension,” said Grimes. “As the story unfolds, you’ll see how those bonds are tested, and the lengths to which each character will go to protect their loved ones.”

This connection of relating elements of filial loyalty against a backdrop of conflict adds depth to the story, making it relatable for all viewable audiences who understand the complexities of the dynamics that exist between families.

As fans await the last installment, Grimes hinted at some of the emotional moments to look out for in the series. Without revealing too much, he said that this season has higher stakes than ever before, while the intense scenes and heartfelt ones will really leave a mark.

“Expect a lot of good and bad surprises,” he hinted. “It’s the culmination of everything we have built for the past years.”

Grimes also thanked the devoted fan base of the show. “The support we’ve received has been overwhelming. It means the world to us as actors,” he said. He accepted that the drastic reaction from fans added fuel to the fire to make the most from the last season and prove it worthy enough to abide by the expectations.

Conclusion
In a final glance at Yellowstone before it goes on to make its final journey, a reflection from Luke Grimes on the final season points more towards the tremendous emotional journey that the characters and actors have undertaken in those emotional episodes.

Threading the themes of family, loyalty, and personal growth in the entire run-through of the show, the end is bound to be great, ending an overall fantastic television series that has struck the very heart of global audiences.

Well, lastly, Grimes’s attempt to portray Kayce Dutton characteristically promises that the final episode will be long in the memory of viewers – a final farewell of an era of a breakup season with Yellowstone. To say goodbye, this is one thing: when the credits start to roll at the very end of it, Yellowstone’s legacy will live on beyond.