Yellowstone Wished Kevin Costner A Happy Birthday, And The Fans Got A Little Salty

It’s hard to believe it’s been a little over a month since Paramount Network wrapped the final episode of Yellowstone. Critics have moved on to content on the 2025 TV schedule, but, the fans have not forgotten forgotten what happened in Season ,. as evidenced by some very salty comments tucked amidst a Happy Birthday message. Here’s what happened when the show sent a birthday message to longtime lead Kevin Costner this week.

The actor turned 70 on January 18, and the Yellowstone Instagram account marked the occasion with a post. This isn’t a particularly odd occurrence for the show’s social media page, as Yellowstone also wished actress Wendy Moniz “Happy Birthday” this week. They basically do this for everyone in the cast, so they couldn’t exactly skip Costner without it being a little sus. And as longtime lead John Dutton, Costner was very important to the series for a very long time, whether or whether not we like how John Dutton was killed off the series.

While a lot of fans did use the opportunity to wish Mr. Costner a very “Happy Birthday,” some couldn’t help themselves and got a little snarky on the post. The top comment, for example, was a joke about your “ex” wishing you a happy birthday. After it blew up multiple people responded, stating things like “facts” and noting the joke-y post was the “best one yet.” You can see some of the saltier fan comments below.

john in sunglasses and hat on Yellowstone

“When your ex wishes you a happy birthday 😂”
“This is wild wishing him a happy birthday after TS did him so dirty.”
“Y’ALL DID HIM SO DIRTY THE WAY YOU SENT HIM OFF …. SHAME”
“How they ruined the series with Kevin’s departure…”
“Yellowstone was not the same after he left.”
Fans had waited a long time for the final Season 5 episodes of Yellowstone to air, and there had been plenty of rumors in advance about what was going on with Costner’s exit on the show. He ended up leaving shortly after the series returned to the schedule (despite some wild Yellowstone theories to the contrary). In the time since, there’s been some chatter about possible changes to the Montana-set show’s ending based on when Costner wanted to leave and Luke Grimes even spoke about how easy filming the final season was. Needless to say, it’s still been a topic of conversation.

As for Costner himself, he’s said he’s open to collaborating with Taylor Sheridan again, and he did comment on the Yellowstone finale, though basically just to say he’s moved on with his life. He’s 70 this year and his focus of late has been continuing work on his planned Horizon movies after the first did not have an explosive run at the box office. But as he noted in his own birthday post, “Here’s to another year of keeping our sights set on our dreams.”

Your Daily Blend of Entertainment News

Jessica Rawden is Managing Editor at CinemaBlend. She’s been kicking out news stories since 2007 and joined the full-time staff in 2014. She oversees news content, hiring and training for the site, and her areas of expertise include theme parks, rom-coms, Hallmark (particularly Christmas movie season), reality TV, celebrity interviews and primetime. She loves a good animated movie. Jessica has a Masters in Library Science degree from Indiana University, and used to be found behind a reference desk most definitely not shushing people. She now uses those skills in researching and tracking down information in very different ways.

Related Posts

Kelly Reilly’s ‘Beth and Rip’ Yellowstone Spinoff Reveals Why You Should Ditch Taylor Sheridan If You Want to Succeed.

The Yellowstone universe is expanding yet again, and this time, Kelly Reilly’s much-anticipated Beth and Rip spinoff is at the center of attention. Fans of Yellowstone know…

Y: Marshals Cast Breakdown: Familiar Faces Return, But This Key Character Is Still Unconfirmed!

The Yellowstone universe continues to grow, and the anticipation around the upcoming series Y: Marshals is building by the day. Taylor Sheridan’s empire has already proven its…

“I wish it was sexier than that”: Taylor Sheridan Learned a Valuable Lesson in His Most Challenging Movie Before Yellowstone.. Taylor Sheridan has become a household name thanks to the enormous success of Yellowstone and its ever-expanding universe of spin-offs, but before he was redefining the television Western, he was grinding his way through some of Hollywood’s toughest lessons. Recently, Sheridan admitted that one of his most challenging movie experiences, long before Yellowstone existed, provided him with wisdom that shaped him into the storyteller he is today. With his trademark blunt humor, he confessed, “I wish it was sexier than that,” making clear that the road to success was paved with missteps, frustrations, and a lot of trial-and-error. Sheridan’s journey is a testament to persistence. Before his name became synonymous with hit series, he was best known to audiences as an actor. Many remember his role as David Hale on Sons of Anarchy, but Sheridan often recalls the difficulty of being an actor-for-hire, constantly at the mercy of casting decisions and executives. That frustration eventually pushed him to transition into writing and directing, though the early years of that career shift were anything but glamorous. The movie in question—his so-called “most challenging project”—was not the type of Hollywood breakthrough most writers dream about. It wasn’t a high-profile studio film, nor was it an indie darling that won accolades at Sundance. Instead, it was a grueling, underfunded project that Sheridan now looks back on with a mix of humility and appreciation. What made it challenging was not just the lack of resources, but the disconnect between his creative vision and the machinery of filmmaking that often stripped away authenticity. For Sheridan, who would later build Yellowstone around authenticity to ranch life and cowboy culture, that clash was a painful but essential lesson. In his own words, Sheridan noted that the experience taught him “what not to do” more than anything else. As he attempted to find his voice as a writer and storyteller, he was confronted with the realities of production—the compromises, the meddling, and the dilution of themes he cared about. It was, by his account, deeply frustrating. And yet, it hardened him. It forced him to recognize that if he wanted to tell the kinds of stories that mattered to him, he would need to do it his own way, on his own terms. That mindset is what would later lead him to insist on creative control when developing Yellowstone for Paramount. Sheridan’s quip—“I wish it was sexier than that”—speaks to his no-nonsense personality. Fans may imagine a dramatic, cinematic origin story for a man who now commands Hollywood power, but Sheridan is quick to undercut that fantasy. His truth is less glamorous: long days, tight budgets, difficult compromises, and a lingering sense of dissatisfaction. But embedded in that struggle was the foundation for the empire he would later build. The experience shaped his philosophy about storytelling. Sheridan realized that authenticity mattered more than spectacle. His later works—Sicario, Hell or High Water, and Wind River—reflect that commitment to grounded realism, unflinching grit, and morally complex characters. Without the sting of that difficult film, he may not have pursued the stripped-down, emotionally raw style that has now become his trademark. More importantly, it taught Sheridan about resilience. In Hollywood, many careers die after a bad experience. Scripts get shelved, directors burn out, and writers compromise until their voices are unrecognizable. Sheridan chose the opposite path. Instead of giving up or bowing to pressure, he doubled down on the importance of staying true to himself. That resilience echoes in the stories he writes—characters who endure pain, fight against impossible odds, and cling to their values even when the world tells them otherwise. Yellowstone is the ultimate culmination of those lessons. The series embodies Sheridan’s belief in authenticity, from its rugged depiction of ranch life to its refusal to water down the brutality of the West. Beth Dutton’s razor-sharp wit, Rip Wheeler’s unwavering loyalty, and John Dutton’s fight to protect his land are all born of Sheridan’s insistence on telling stories with emotional truth. The massive success of Yellowstone is proof that the lessons he learned in that difficult early film were not wasted but instead transformed into a philosophy that resonates with millions of viewers. Sheridan himself acknowledges that Yellowstone would not exist without those early struggles. His “non-sexy” lesson from a failed or difficult project became the fire that fueled his drive. Every frustration became a reminder of what he never wanted to compromise again. Every disappointing choice made by others on that project reinforced his determination to be the one in charge of his own stories. By the time Paramount came knocking, Sheridan had sharpened his voice into something powerful, uncompromising, and distinctly his own. Fans often look at Sheridan now—commanding one of the most powerful storytelling empires on television—and imagine that he has always been destined for greatness. But Sheridan himself resists that narrative. He wants people to understand that failure, difficulty, and humility are part of success. His career is proof that the most important lessons often come not from triumphs but from challenges that break you down and force you to rebuild stronger.

Taylor Sheridan has become a household name thanks to the enormous success of Yellowstone and its ever-expanding universe of spin-offs, but before he was redefining the television…

Whew!NOTIZIE SCIOCCANTI!! Yellowstone Spoiler: Lloyd Joins Beth & Rip in Explosive Yellowstone Spin-Off – Is He About to Change Everything

Yellowstone has built its legacy on gripping drama, fierce family loyalty, and explosive power struggles, and now a shocking spoiler reveals that one of the most beloved…

“It was a miserable state”: Taylor Sheridan reveals h0rrifying details about filming 1883 with Sam.

Behind the Scenes of 1883: A Test of Endurance Filming 1883, the prequel to Yellowstone, was an arduous endeavor that pushed the cast and crew to their…

Taylor Sheridan’s Horrific Zack Snyder Comparison Could Finally Open His Eyes After Yellowstone and 1923 Season 2 Debacle

Taylor Sheridan’s Recent Challenges: A Critical Examination Taylor Sheridan, acclaimed for his work on Yellowstone and its prequels, has recently faced significant criticism regarding his storytelling choices….

You cannot copy content of this page