“Marshals” star Luke Grimes says Kayce dating would 'feel like I was cheating'
“Marshals” star Luke Grimes says Kayce dating would 'feel like I was cheating'
Samantha HighfillMon, March 9, 2026 at 11:07 PM UTC
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Luke Grimes as Kayce Dutton on 'Marshals'Credit: Sonja Flemming/CBS
Kayce Dutton (Luke Grimes) is grieving.
Marshals shocked Yellowstone fans when it launched its first episode by revealing that Monica (Kelsey Asbille), Kayce's wife and Tate's (Brecken Merrill) mom, had died. Her death happened off screen, between the end of the flagship series and the launch of the spinoff, and it's implied that she died from cancer caused by toxins being dumped onto the Broken Rock reservation.
It was a shock for fans who'd watched Monica and Kayce's love story unfold for years on Yellowstone. It was also a shock for star Luke Grimes when it was initially pitched to him. "It was his whole heart," Grimes tells Entertainment Weekly of the relationship. Eventually, Grimes came around. But he also had a few thoughts about Kayce's love life moving forward.
Luke Grimes as Kayce Dutton on 'Marshals'Credit: Fred Hayes/CBS
"I just felt like if we went there too quickly, it would feel like we were doing it to have a storyline," he says of Kayce getting back into the dating world. "It would feel very obligatory and, like, that's the thing you have to do with your number one. Not in this case. Not when you've seen a guy for years and years and years be so madly in love with someone. It would almost feel like, 'Was that all bullshit?' If it ever happens, it should happen really organically and over time."
That's not to say that the show will be without romance. "Anytime you put people in these intense jobs, feelings happen," showrunner Spencer Hudnut says. "And you know, we have a fairly attractive group of Marshals," he adds with a laugh. "You go through a gun fight and you can't go home and talk to your partner about it. You can talk to your teammate. That's something that we'll probably explore."
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But he echoes Grimes' sentiments in terms of Kayce's journey. "So much of, at least the first half of the season, is Kayce realizing he needs to confront that grief to start trying to move on with his life," Hudnut says. "We're being very mindful of that and respectful of that loss. That's something Luke and I spent a lot of time talking about was: How far is too far, particularly in the first season, to go with him? He's very protective of that relationship, as you would expect."
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Luke Grimes as Kayce and Kelsey Asbille as Monica on 'Yellowstone'Credit: Paramount+
For Grimes, it's a personal matter. "Shooting a scene where I was kissing someone would feel like I was cheating," he says with a laugh. "Like, I would feel so guilty. I really would, in Luke's heart, feel like I was cheating on someone because it was just that important to him. It's gotta take some time."
He's not saying never. He's just saying not now. "Maybe this will happen down the line," Grimes says, "but it's gotta take a sec."
Marshals releases new episodes Sundays at 8 p.m. ET/PT on CBS.
on Entertainment Weekly
Source: “AOL Entertainment”
