After ‘Yellowstone’ and a twist of fate, Luke Grimes rides again as Kayce in ‘Marshals’

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This story contains spoilers for the pilot of “Marshals.”

When “Yellowstone” ended last year, Kayce Dutton had seemingly achieved a happy ending.

John Dutton’s youngest son, along with his wife Monica and their son Tate, lived a quiet life in a remote cabin in the mountains, hoping to escape the drama and difficulties within their family.

As a huge fan of ‘Yellowstone,’ I was really struck by what Luke Grimes, who plays Kayce, said recently. He described how his character finally achieved a sense of peace and got everything he’d been working towards – everything he’d wanted and fought so hard to get. It’s a really powerful moment for his character, and Luke put it beautifully.

Grimes returns as Kayce in the new CBS series, “Marshals,” which debuted on Sunday. However, this time, Kayce is dealing with a devastating loss that has completely disrupted his peaceful life, and he must now figure out how to move on.

This new drama is the first of several planned shows expanding the world of ‘Yellowstone,’ the hugely popular series that ran for five seasons. Though you’ll see some returning characters and the beautiful mountain scenery you remember, ‘Marshals’ isn’t simply a continuation of ‘Yellowstone’; it’s a fresh take.

“Marshals” follows Kayce as he teams up with Pete Calvin, a former Navy SEAL colleague, in a special unit of U.S. Marshals. The show blends the intense, Western style of “Yellowstone” with the classic format of a procedural crime drama, a type of show CBS is known for.

Grimes shared in an interview at a Los Angeles club that he was looking forward to wearing his cowboy hat and boots again, but he initially wasn’t sure if the project was right for him.

Grimes admitted she wasn’t familiar with procedural dramas before starting work on “Marshals.” She explained that she needed to research the genre, and initially struggled to understand the show’s ending. Knowing that her character, Kayce, had ridden off into the sunset in the previous finale, she decided to interpret that as a definitive departure, thinking, ‘Let him be, let him go.’ She shared this just hours before the premiere of “Marshals” at the Autry Museum.

Those doubts eventually ebbed away.

Grimes admitted she was hesitant to see Kayce’s character leave the show. Saying goodbye was difficult, so she was excited to continue his story. This new opportunity allows them to explore his past and reveal a side of him viewers haven’t seen before in ‘Yellowstone.’

Television

Even though Kevin Costner, the show’s lead actor, has left, the Western drama is still the most-watched series on television as it approaches its final episode this Sunday.

Kayce is currently facing a major personal struggle. Fans of “Yellowstone” will be surprised to learn, through a reveal in the first episode, that his wife, Monica, has passed away from cancer. Their strong and passionate relationship was a highlight of the show and helped establish actor Kelsey Asbille as a popular figure.

Grimes believes viewers will be disappointed, and rightfully so. He explained that Kayce is devastated by recent events, calling it the worst possible outcome for his character. While Grimes is personally saddened by not being able to work with Kelsey anymore, he ultimately feels it’s the right decision for the show’s future.

He explained that the life his character once envisioned is now out of reach. All he has left is his son, and even that relationship is complicated because the son isn’t sure he wants to follow in his father’s footsteps. A major focus of the season will be Kayce adjusting to his new circumstances – a new job and the challenges of raising a child on his own.

Spencer Hudnut, the executive producer and showrunner of CBS’s “SEAL Team,” has said that the show’s upcoming tragedy may come as a shock to viewers. He explained that life’s unexpected events impact the character Kayce, just as they do many people in reality.

He emphasized that even though Monica has passed away, her impact will be strongly felt throughout the season.

According to Hudnut, Kayce is being mentored, and their connection is developing. A major focus this season is Kayce working through his unresolved grief, and the writers felt a significant, negative event was necessary to change his trajectory.

As the show progressed, Grimes began to favor a more plot-driven approach. He explained, “This season is quite different in terms of its format. It’s an action-packed show with a quick tempo, and many fans have told me they’d love to see Kayce fully utilize his military training.”

Gil Birmingham and Mo Brings Plenty, both known from “Yellowstone”, will reprise their roles as Thomas Rainwater and Mo, respectively, in the new series “Marshals”.

Taylor Sheridan, the creative force behind “Yellowstone” and its prequel series “1883” and “1923”, is continuing to build the “Yellowstone” world. Later this month, he’ll launch “The Madison,” featuring Michelle Pfeiffer and Kurt Russell, which follows a family from New York City who have settled in Montana. And later in the year, Kelly Reilly and Cole Hauser will return as their popular “Yellowstone” characters – Beth Dutton and Rip Wheeler – in a new series focused on the Dutton Ranch.

Voices

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Hudnut explained that viewers of “Yellowstone” will likely see familiar ideas in the new series, such as the impact of violence, the struggle against the natural world, and conflicts between people.

As a big fan of both procedural dramas and shows like ‘Yellowstone,’ I get what they’re aiming for here. They’re hoping to capture that same magic that made ‘Yellowstone’ so popular, but present it in a more familiar, case-of-the-week format, which CBS does really well. It’s a tricky balance – how do you combine the appeal of a sprawling, character-driven saga with the structure of a traditional procedural? That’s the big question they’re trying to answer.

Landing the lead in this new project really got me thinking about how much ‘Yellowstone’ changed Kevin Costner’s career. Before that, he’d already had amazing roles in films like ‘American Sniper’ and ‘Fifty Shades of Grey,’ and even played a vampire on ‘True Blood,’ but ‘Yellowstone’ just took things to a whole new level for him.

He shared that ‘Yellowstone’ had a profound impact on his life. Most significantly, he now calls Montana home – the very place where the show was filmed. He admitted that when he first visited, he never imagined he’d end up living there.

After finishing filming each year, I’d return to the city, but I felt increasingly like an outsider. I found more and more peace and felt more at home in the countryside. I’ve always loved nature and never really fit into city life, but I needed to be here for my work. After three seasons, my wife and I decided to move permanently. We were ready to start a family.

Everyone kept talking about a potential spin-off show for my character, Kayce, while we were filming the last episode. But honestly, having a baby was my main focus at the time.

Grimes faced challenges behind the scenes because of disagreements between Kevin Costner and Taylor Sheridan regarding how the show was made and its creative direction. Costner, the show’s main star, left after filming some of the final season, and his character was subsequently written off the show.

When asked about the drama behind the scenes, Grimes explained that she focused on doing her job well and avoiding the conflict. She admitted it was a bit frustrating, but she was grateful to have the opportunity.

He remembered Sheridan calling him about the potential spinoff. Sheridan had said, “I suggest you talk to the showrunner, but I’m not pushing you either way. Spencer’s really talented and has some interesting concepts.”

Hudnut shared that Kayce has always been his favorite character on the show. He clarified that Luke and Kayce are very different, explaining that while Kayce is a strong, action-oriented character, Luke is more thoughtful, intelligent, and possesses a creative spirit. Hudnut believes Luke has a captivating on-screen presence and the qualities of a classic leading man, able to convey a lot with just a glance.

Besides acting in “Marshals,” Brandon Grimes also helped behind the scenes as an executive producer. He came up with the idea for the opening flashback scene showing Kayce in combat. He even sings the song featured during the movie’s closing scene, when his character visits his wife’s gravesite. The song is from Grimes’ country album, released last year.

“Luke’s creative fingerprints are all over the pilot,” Hudnut said.

Grimes isn’t worried about being the first show after “Yellowstone” to debut.

He explained they weren’t aiming to recreate the previous show, so any outcome would be positive. He also said he thoroughly enjoyed the experience.

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2026-03-02 10:03