Marshals spoilers follow.
Marshals, the highly-anticipated spin-off to Yellowstone, got under way last night as Luke Grimes’s Kayce Dutton came to the forefront, but there was a huge twist in the premiere episode that few saw coming.
It was widely assumed that Kelsey Asbille would reprise her role as Monica Long Dutton from the neo-Western drama for the latest spin-off, but the character was curiously absent from the promotional campaign for Marshals.
That’s because, as confirmed in the opening instalment of the Paramount+ series, Monica is actually dead, with the beloved character having passed away from cancer as a result of toxins being dumped onto the land.
It remains to be seen if Asbille’s departure from the franchise was mutual or acrimonious, as neither the actor nor producers for the series have commented on the matter from a behind-the-scenes standpoint.
Grimes, however, has defended the surprise decision, telling Entertainment Weekly: “The way that Yellowstone ended for Kayce was literally he rode off into the sunset. Obviously we can’t just watch this guy have his dream life. There’s no drama.
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“Something’s gonna have to happen that gets in the way of him having that. Otherwise, why is he gonna take a badge? The last time we saw him, he was throwing a badge in a field. Is he gonna go pick it up?”
Regardless, Grimes was still surprised by the choice, adding: “I was not at all expecting that when I got the call that that’s their idea… I was incredibly bummed, because Kelsey’s one of my really good friends and the coolest actor I’ve ever worked with.
“We’re really close, and for a while I couldn’t imagine doing it without her. I was like, ‘That doesn’t even make sense. Kayce and Monica are the same thing. They’re one.’ But I also realised, well, there’s a big story there.”
Marshals showrunner Spencer Hudnut also explained some of the creative decisions, sharing: “It was important to try to honour that character. And also to use her passing as a way to shine a spotlight on a real issue that reservations are facing.
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“She passed, which is why Tate wanted to go to the rally [and] why Kayce goes – she really is guiding his journey. Her presence and spirit will remain throughout this series. She’s such a huge part of who Kayce Dutton is that she will be with him along the way.”
It remains to be seen how Kayce will be affected by Monica’s “heartbreaking” passing, but Grimes confirmed that the character’s grief would be at the centre of the drama, with the actor teasing that there could be some volatility along the way.
Marshals: A Yellowstone Story streams in the UK on Paramount+.
Read more Yellowstone news on our dedicated homepage
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