Luke Grimes, the star of the hit series “Marshals,” has a very simple answer for fans who tell him he is not a real cowboy. He tells them he is an actor. The 42-year-old star plays Kayce Dutton, a tough rancher turned lawman. However, during a recent interview, he cleared up any confusion between his television role and his real life.
Some viewers of the “Yellowstone” universe have become so connected to the show that they forget it is fiction. Grimes spoke to a Toronto radio station, CHUM 104.5, about the strange comments he gets from fans. He shared that many people express disappointment because he does not live the cowboy life full time.
The actor responded with a sense of humor and honesty about his job. “Well, of course I’m not, I’m an actor,” Grimes stated. He explained that his job is to perform on a set, not to ranch. “That’s why I’m able to do this. If I was a real cowboy, I’d be, like, herding cattle right now. I wouldn’t be on this show,” he added.
Fans confuse the actor with his character
The comments from fans show how popular the “Yellowstone” series has become. People spend many hours watching the Dutton family. For some viewers, the line between Luke Grimes and his character Kayce Dutton becomes unclear. Many fans feel like they know him personally because of the role.
“It can be a mix of things. I think people loved that show so much that they were on a certain level upset that it wasn’t real. Like, they were so obsessed… A lot of times, you’ll get the like, ‘You’re not a real cowboy,’ thing.”
— Luke Grimes to CHUM 104.5
The actor grew up in Dayton, Ohio. He did not spend his youth working on a cattle ranch. Despite this, he has played the role for many years. He started on “Yellowstone” in 2018. Now, he leads the spin-off “Marshals” on CBS. His performance has been so strong that fans believe he is the character in real life.
The success of the new show Marshals
Even though some fans question his real-life cowboy status, the show “Marshals” is a big hit. The series continues the story of Kayce Dutton after the events of “Yellowstone.” In the new show, Kayce leaves the family ranch. He joins a special team of US Marshals in Montana.
The first episode of “Marshals” drew in a massive audience. It has collected 26.5 million viewers across CBS and streaming services. This makes it the second most-watched show on television, only behind “Stranger Things.” The premiere episode alone gathered 13 million viewers on streaming. CBS called it their biggest scripted premiere since 2018.
Luke Grimes was surprised by the positive reaction from the audience. “Obviously, it exceeded everybody’s expectations,” the actor said in response to the viewership numbers. He added that the fact people showed up to watch the show means the world to him and the team who worked on it.
A difficult story change for the actor
The new series required a major change for the character. Kayce’s wife, Monica Dutton, played by Kelsey Asbille, dies before the events of “Marshals.” The show explains that she passed away from cancer. This loss forces Kayce to leave his old life behind and find a new purpose.
Luke Grimes admitted that he did not like this story idea at first. He really wanted to keep working with Asbille. The two actors became close friends while filming “Yellowstone” together. “My first gut reaction was, ‘I hate that idea’,” Grimes told Radio Times. He felt there was no Kayce without Monica because their love story was the heart of the show.
“I realised that’s the motivation for everything that follows. That’s literally the core of this series: how does a guy get up and dust himself off after losing the most important person in his life and find a new purpose? That’s what the whole show is.”
— Luke Grimes on the death of Monica
Grimes eventually agreed that the sad event was necessary. It gives Kayce a reason to change his life completely. The actor called Kelsey Asbille to discuss the plot. She supported the decision and understood the needs of the story. After that conversation, Grimes felt better about moving forward with the new series.
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Life in Montana and the cowboy look
Even though Luke Grimes is not a working cowboy, his time on the show did inspire him to move to Montana. He and his wife, Brazilian model Bianca Rodrigues, relocated to the Bitterroot Valley. They live there with their young son. The actor enjoys the lifestyle and the nature of the state.
However, the actor does face some issues with local people. During an appearance on the Joe Rogan Experience, Grimes shared that not everyone in Montana is happy about the new residents moving in because of the show. He told a story about friends visiting from California. Someone wrote “go back” in the dust on their car. Because of this, Grimes keeps his exact location a secret to avoid anger from locals.
The actor also joked about his son’s reaction to his work gear. His young child loves the big cowboy hat Grimes wears on screen. However, the boy does not really understand why his father wears it. For Grimes, the hat is simply a part of his costume for playing Kayce Dutton.
