Meet the cast of Yellowstone on Paramount Plus

It was announced formally in June that Costner would not be returning to the show to reprise his role as the iconic character John Dutton.

Speaking about having to film the final season without the show's lead, Luke Grimes recently told People: "Him not coming back felt like, ‘Okay, we’re going to have to land this plane now for real."

He added: "I think the patriarch leaving was always going to be part of the story. That’s always where it was headed is like, what do these kids do? What does this family do when their rock is gone?"

"Whatever the circumstances may be, [it] definitely felt like, ‘Okay, we’re coming in for a landing.’ It definitely felt different,” he continued.

Read on for everything you need to know about the major players in Yellowstone season 5 part 2.

Yellowstone season 5 cast and characters: Who plays who?

Returning cast members include:

• Kelly Reilly as Beth Dutton
• Luke Grimes as Kayce Dutton
• Cole Hauser as Rip Wheeler
• Wes Bentley as Jamie Dutton
• Kelsey Asbille Chow as Monica Dutton
• Gil Birmingham as Thomas Rainwater
• Brecken Merrill as Tate Dutton

Jefferson White will also be returning in part 2 as Jimmy Hurdstrom

New cast members include:

• Kai Caster as Rowdy
• Lainey Wilson as Abby
• Lilli Kay as Clara Brewer
• Dawn Olivieri as Sarah Atwood.

Read on for everything you need to know about the actors and their characters.

Kelly Reilly as Beth Dutton

Who is Beth Dutton? John and Evelyn's only daughter, Beth is savvy, intelligent and also quite the manipulator. She previously returned home to help her father manage the ranch and is extremely protective of John and her entire family.

Teasing season 5 part 2, Reilly teased that fans are in for a "wild" ride.

Speaking recently to RadioTimes.com, she said: "Gosh, I'm really looking forward to them [the fans] having them [the last episodes].

"I'm looking forward to giving them the ending of Yellowstone that was always the ending of Yellowstone back when I signed on in 2018 – so it's like... it's gonna be wild.

"And it's gonna be... you know, I can't really say much about it. I can't say anything about it but I'm just looking forward to finishing the show for them in the way that the audience deserves, because the fans of that show have been incredible and so loyal."

What else has Kelly Reilly been in? The English actress has had starring roles in Above Suspicion, Black Box, True Detective and Britannia, as well as roles in films such as Pride & Prejudice, Sherlock Holmes and 10x10.

Cole Hauser as Rip Wheeler

Who is Rip Wheeler? While not officially a son of John Dutton, the patriarch has long seen Rip as a son of his. Being his right-hand man, he is a fiercely loyal employee at Yellowstone. He was taken in by the Duttons as a young runaway after killing his father, who murdered his mother and brother. Despite an on-off relationship with Beth since the pair were teens, they are now married.

What else has Cole Hauser been in? The actor is best known for his roles in the films Dazed and Confused, Good Will Hunting, Transcendence and Rogue.

Luke Grimes as Kayce Dutton

Who is Kayce Dutton? John and Evelyn's son, Kayce is a former US Navy SEAL and has a fraught relationship with his father. Even so, he's still the one set to take on the Yellowstone ranch and moves back with his wife and young son.

What else has Luke Grimes been in? Grimes has had starring roles in American Sniper and the Fifty Shades of Grey franchise as Elliot, Christian Grey's (Jamie Dornan) brother.

Wes Bentley as Jamie Dutton

Who is Jamie Dutton? The "black sheep" of the family, Jamie is very different from his Dutton siblings. The aspiring politician goes on to become Attorney General in season 3, has a son and is a no-nonsense kind of character. However, he still does crave his father's attention.

What else has Wes Bentley been in? Bentley is best known for his roles in Interstellar, The Hunger Games, Ghost Rider and American Horror Story, where he has had starring roles in the Freak Show, Hotel and Roanoke instalments.

Kelsey Asbille as Monica Dutton

Who is Monica Dutton? Monica is Kayce's wife and is often in inner turmoil when it comes to reckoning her Native American roots with her husband's family business. She goes from being a teacher at local school Broken Rock Indian Reservation to becoming a professor at Montana State University in Bozeman.

What else has Kelsey Asbille been in? Asbille is best known for her roles in One Tree Hill, Wind River, Fargo and Teen Wolf.

Gil Birmingham as Chief Thomas Rainwater

Who is Chief Thomas Rainwater? A powerful casino businessman and chief of the Broken Rock Indian Reservation which neighbours the Yellowstone ranch, Chief Rainwater is desperate to reclaim the land he believes has been stolen from the Native Americans who originally inhabited it. Thus, he is constantly at odds with John.

What else has Gil Birmingham been in? Birmingham known for his role as Billy Black in The Twilight Saga, Banshee and Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt. Most recently, he's had starring roles in Pieces of Her, Siren and Under the Banner of Heaven.

• There's also Brecken Merrill (This Is Us), who plays Tate Dutton, John's grandson.

Why isn't Kevin Costner returning as John Dutton?

Who is John Dutton III? The series follows the Dutton family and heading up the largest ranch in Montana is John Dutton, the widowed sixth-generation patriarch. Throughout previous seasons, we've seen how Dutton will go to lengths to protect the the Yellowstone Dutton Ranch and regularly comes against challenges from all sides. In this fifth season, however, Dutton is the Governor of Montana.

Why isn't Kevin Costner returning? Earlier this year, Costner shared a video in which he cleared up why he'd decided to move on: "An update for you guys. I’ll see you at the movies”, having released his own Western epic Horizon.

"I want to reach out and let you know that after this long year and a half of working on Horizon and doing all the things that’s required, and thinking about Yellowstone, that beloved series that I love, that I know you love, I just realised that I’m not going to be able to continue Season 5B or into the future.

"It was something that really changed me. I loved it. And I know you loved it. And I just wanted to let you know that I won’t be returning and I love the relationship we’ve been able to develop and I’ll see you at the movies."

Costner also elaborated on the reasons for his departure in an interview with Deadline.

He claimed: "I made a contract for seasons 5, 6 and 7. In February, after a two or three-month negotiation, they made another contract. They wanted to redo that one, and instead of seasons 6 and 7, it was 5A and 5B, and maybe we’ll do 6.

"They weren’t able to make those. Horizon was set in the middle, but Yellowstone was first position. I fit [Horizon] into the gaps. They just kept moving their gaps."

Other Yellowstone cast members include:

• Ian Bohen as Ryan
• Finn Little as Carter
• Jennifer Landon as Teeter
• Forrie J Smith as Lloyd Pierce
• Denim Richards as Colby
• Wendy Moniz as Governor Lynelle Perry
• Jacki Weaver as Caroline Warner
• Mo Brings Plenty as Mo
• Kathryn Kelly as Emily
• Piper Perabo as Summer Higgins
• Jerynce Brings Plenty as Jerynce
• Maria Julian as Kate
• Taylor Sheridan as Travis Wheatly

Yellowstone is available to stream on Paramount Plus. Get a seven day free Paramount Plus trial at Amazon Prime Video.

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