It’s no secret that Yellowstone has taken the internet by storm ever since it premiered in 2018. The first half of the fifth and final season was embroiled in drama, both onscreen with the Dutton family and off screen (Kevin Costner was leaving! Taylor Sheridan was suing Cole Hauser!), it hasn’t dampened my enthusiasm for season five, part two (coming in November 2024, per Variety). Though the series is being cut short, thankfully, there are tons of other spin offs (1923, 1883, 1944, 2024, 6666) that will keep me occupied for the foreseeable future. (Pssst, as you wait for new episodes, you can live your best cowboy life by visiting Lee Dutton’s ranch.) But if you’ve already devoured all the episodes, chances are, you spotted at least one actor who looked familiar. Here’s who they play in the series:
If you’re wondering where you’ve seen the Yellowstone cast before, keep reading for answers.
1. Kevin Costner (John Dutton)
Before taking on the lead role of Yellowstone, the iconic actor starred in countless successful films, like The Postman, Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves, The Bodyguard and Dances with Wolves, but he also dabbles in directing and producing. (Fun fact: With two Oscars, two Golden Globes and an Emmy, Costner is just one letter away from EGOT status.) Unfortunately for the fans, myself included, he exited the series after the first half of season 5, citing, as People reported, creative differences and failed compensation negotiations.
“I couldn’t help them any more,” he said. “We tried to negotiate, they offered me less money than previous seasons, there were issues with the creative…”
2. Luke Grimes (Kayce Dutton)
Grimes is best known for playing Marc Lee in American Sniper and Christian’s big brother in Fifty Shades of Grey. You may have also spotted him in Brothers & Sisters and a few episodes of True Blood. He also made his foray into music with a country album, “Pain Pills or Pews,” which was released in October 2023.
3. Wes Bentley (Jamie Dutton)
The actor attended Juilliard for just one year before he dropped out to pursue professional opportunities. And now, the SAG Award winner boasts a myriad of impressive acting credits. You might know him as Ricky Fitts from American Beauty, a role which scored him a BAFTA nomination for Best Supporting Actor. (The cast won the SAG Award for Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Motion Picture.) Bentley also portrayed Seneca Crane in The Hunger Games, Doyle in Interstellar and Erik in Mission Impossible: Fallout—just to list a few.
4. Kelly Reilly (Beth Dutton)
After appearing in comedies like Peaches and Maybe Baby, Reilly opted for more serious roles to avoid being typecast. Since then, she’s done movies that range from period dramas (Caroline Bingley in 2005’s Pride and Prejudice) and horror films (Eden Lake) to mysteries (A Haunting in Venice). Her portrayal of Beth Dutton earned her a Gracie Award in 2023. Reilly’s other accolades include the Chopard Award for Best Newcomer at the 2005 Cannes Film Festival and a César nomination (the French Academy Awards) for Best Supporting Actress, both recognizing her work in Les Poupées Russes (The Russian Dolls).
5. Cole Hauser (Rip Wheeler)
Hauser left high school at just 16 to pursue acting full time. And now, the award-winning actor has plenty of acting credits under his belt. These include 2 Fast 2 Furious, the classic Good Will Hunting, ER and A Good Day to Die Hard. His 2023 ended on a dramatic note, when Yellowstone creator Taylor Sheridan’s coffee company Bosque Ranch sued Hauser’s Free Rein over alleged trademark infringement and false advertising.
6. Kelsey Asbille (Monica Dutton)
The actress has come a long way since she starred as Mikayla in the Disney XD’s Pair of Kings. Aside from playing Kayce Dutton’s wife on Yellowstone, she also made a few appearances on Fargo. Asbille played Gigi Silveri from 2005 to 2009 in One Tree Hill. She is slated to appear alongside Finn Wittrock in the upcoming horror thriller, Don’t Move, which is in post-production but without a release date.
7. Danny Huston ( Dan Jenkins)
For the record, talent runs in the Huston family. Not only is Danny the son of actress Zoe Sallis and director John Huston, but also, he’s the grandson of Oscar-winner Walter Huston. Plus, his nephew is Boardwalk Empire’s Jack Huston. That doesn’t even begin to cover the actor’s own career, which includes Wonder Woman, X-Men Origins: Wolverine, Clash of the Titans and Succession. Plus, his 2013 performance in Magic City earned him a Golden Globe nomination. Color us impressed.
8. Gil Birmingham (Thomas Rainwater)
Believe it or not, his original plan was to become an engineer. But after getting his first acting gig in Diana Ross’s music video for “Muscles,” he went on to appear in dozens of shows and films. Twihard fans will definitely remember him as Jacob Black’s dad, but other credits include Rango, Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt, House of Cards and Eternals. For his work in Yellowstone, Birmingham earned a 2022 SAG Award nomination with the rest of the cast for Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Drama Series.
9. Brecken Merrill (Tate Dutton)
You’ve seen Merrill as the teen Nicky Jr. in This Is Us. Now, he’ll be appearing in the forthcoming film, We All Got Up to Dance, which is currently in pre-production. The young actor will be starring in the comedy drama as a rebellious 13-year-old during the Vietnam War.
10. Jefferson White (Jimmy Hurdstrom)
After he joined Yellowstone, the actor starred in a thriller film called God’s Country, alongside Thandiwe Newton and Joris Jarsky in 2022. In 2023, White appeared in the thriller, Eileen, starring Anne Hathaway and Thomasin McKenzie. In addition, he will appear in Alex Garland’s Civil War, out later in 2024. And if you think that’s a loaded schedule, White also portrays Sean O’Neil on Chicago P.D.
11. Ian Bohen (Ryan)
You might recognize him as Peter Hale in MTV’s Teen Wolf or as Lt. Mitch Anderson from the CW’s superhero drama, Superman & Lois, but he also boasts a lengthy list of acting credits, landing guest roles in shows like Mad Men, Prison Break and CSI: Miami. Plus, he appeared in The Black Eyed Peas’s music video for “Where Is the Love?”
12. Ryan Bingham (Walker)
Before landing a guest role in the Western series, Bingham already had six albums, an Academy Award and a Grammy to his name—thanks to his popular song, “The Weary Kind.” He’s also known for playing Sergeant Malloy in Hostiles, starring Christian Bale and Rosamund Pike. Bingham’s latest album, Watch Out for the Wolf, was released in 2023.
13. Piper Perabo (Summer Higgins)
From Coyote Ugly to Cheaper by the Dozen, Beverly Hills Chihuahua 2 and Angel Has Fallen, Perabo has range. Her role as CIA agent Annie Walker in Covert Affairs garnered her a Golden Globe nomination for Best Actress.