Why Josh Lucas Wasn't Allowed To Be Around Kevin Costner On The Set Of Yellowstone

Every "Yellowstone" fan knows that you don't mess with John Dutton. Played expertly by Kevin Costner, the jury is still out on whether Dutton will ultimately be the hero or villain of the story. But the Montana cowboy has shown he will do anything to protect both his family and land. Of course, Costner isn't the only person to wear the John Dutton cowboy hat.

Throughout several episodes, especially during the first two seasons, Josh Lucas portrayed a young John Dutton sporadically on "Yellowstone." The star ended up joining the cast a bit later and admittedly had to push to be part of the show. "I think Taylor Sheridan is the only director that I've ever stalked," Lucas said in a behind-the-scenes interview. "I was obviously a big fan of his writing before 'Yellowstone' and then when I read the script, I was just totally blown away by it."

Given their connected roles, you would think Costner and Lucas compare notes on set. But the two actors actually don't interact on "Yellowstone" at all.

Josh Lucas does bear a striking resemblance to a young Kevin Costner, but he didn't want to imitate the actor's performance as John Dutton. "Yellowstone" creator Taylor Sheridan realized that it was better to keep the actors apart and keep Costner away from set while filming flashback scenes. For one, it takes pressure off Lucas and his performance.

Lucas elaborated on this in an interview with Collider. "Luckily, [Costner's] not there when I'm shooting. We're almost kept separate on purpose," the "Sweet Home Alabama" actor explained. "Taylor and I talked about the idea of 'The Godfather.' When [Robert] De Niro was playing Brando, he wasn't attempting to look or act like Marlon Brando. He was attempting to play the character. That's what we talked about."

Of course, there's a method to Sheridan's madness, and the "Yellowstone" cast and crew have learned to not question his vision. In fact, according to executive producer David Glasser, Sheridan has everything planned out. In an interview with Insider, he said, "[Sheridan] knows every character and backstory. He told me the 'Yellowstone' ending the day we started. When that happens, I don't know. But he knows where every character ends up."

The "Yellowstone" universe is expanding with several spinoffs in the works, including a second season of "1883." According to TV Line, that will focus on the real life cowboy Bass Reeves rather than the Dutton clan. But could fans hope to see a prequel series entirely centered around a young John Dutton as well? Currently, the actor only appears occasionally through flashbacks. While, a spin-off isn't planned currently, anything is possible.

In an interview with People, Lucas also talked about a potential return to "Yellowstone" and why he looks forward to it. "I really, really hope so. And I say that with sort of a wink in my eye because I think so. I really do. It's one of my favorite jobs I've ever done." 

In fact, Josh Lucas is teasing his return for Season 5. In an Instagram post, Lucas teased a photo of him decked out in cowboy gear. He specifically made mention of "Yellowstone" and his cowboy boots. The actor captioned this photo, writing, "@yellowstone reminds that even on an airplane cowboy boots are the most comfortable shoes ever made" and tagged Paramount, the show's studio. You can't keep John Dutton down for long.