Arielle Kebbel stars in the new ‘Yellowstone’ spinoff ‘Marshals’ but admits the show’s famous creator remains a mystery figure she has never crossed paths with. The actress opened up about working inside the massive Taylor Sheridan universe without ever getting a face-to-face meeting with the man running it all.
The ‘Yellowstone’ franchise keeps growing with new shows and characters. ‘Marshals,’ which premiered on March 1, 2026, follows Luke Grimes as Kayce Dutton leaving the ranch behind to join an elite team of U.S. Marshals in Montana. Arielle Kebbel plays Belle Skinner, a former ATF undercover specialist who joins Kayce’s team.
But even as a main cast member, Kebbel has not met the creator who made the whole universe possible.
Taylor Sheridan Is ‘The Man Behind the Curtain’
Arielle Kebbel spoke with PEOPLE magazine about her experience working on ‘Marshals.’ She shared that Taylor Sheridan stays mostly invisible on set. Other actors from his shows told her the same thing.
“It’s funny. I was talking with some of the cast of his other shows, and at least in my experience, Taylor’s like the man behind the curtain. No one ever sees him.”
Sheridan, 55, runs multiple shows at the same time. He created ‘Yellowstone,’ ‘1883,’ ‘1923,’ ‘Mayor of Kingstown,’ ‘Tulsa King,’ ‘Landman,’ and ‘Lioness.’ He also writes most episodes himself. That leaves little time for visiting sets.
Kebbel understood why she never met him.
“The man is busy. So I actually have not met him.”
How ‘Marshals’ Differs From Other Sheridan Shows
Arielle Kebbel explained that ‘Marshals’ works differently from other shows in the ‘Yellowstone’ universe. Taylor Sheridan serves as executive producer but does not run the show directly. Spencer Hudnut created the series and handles daily production.
“For our show, it’s a bit of a different story because our show is truly a hybrid of the ‘Yellowstone’ universe, with Taylor’s blessing and Taylor executive producing and 101 Studios behind us. Also, Spencer Hudnut is our show creator.”
Spencer Hudnut worked as an executive producer on ‘SEAL Team’ before creating ‘Marshals.’ That background fits perfectly with Kayce Dutton‘s Navy SEAL history. The show blends the Western style of Taylor Sheridan with the action of a military drama.
The production team also brought real military personnel to help actors.
“We have real Navy SEALs on set with us, training us.”
Familiar Faces Help Bridge Both Worlds
Arielle Kebbel pointed out that ‘Marshals’ kept connections to the original ‘Yellowstone’ by bringing back several cast members. Brecken Merrill returns as Tate Dutton. Gil Birmingham and Mo Brings Plenty also reprise their roles.
“That’s also why I say we’re so lucky that we had so many of the original cast come with us. Because it really does help keep things familiar in that world while also bringing in these new characters.”
The show airs on CBS every Sunday at 8 p.m. ET. New episodes also stream on Paramount+. The first season will run until its finale on May 24, 2026.
Kebbel Was Already a Big Fan Before Joining
Before getting cast in ‘Marshals,’ Arielle Kebbel loved Westerns and Taylor Sheridan‘s work. She grew up watching Westerns with her father and grandfather.
“When ‘Yellowstone’ came around, there was nothing like it. It was an American Western. I feel like we were all craving that and no one had really figured out how to do it like the classics until Taylor Sheridan came along.”
She also enjoys his other shows. She told PEOPLE she loves ‘Lioness’ and ‘The Madison’ as well.
In a separate interview with UPI, Kebbel shared how much she respected the world Taylor Sheridan built.
“I really respected the world that they created in ‘Yellowstone’ because a lot of people tried to recreate it since and it’s just not the same. They had a special sauce in launching that show.”
She called joining the franchise “a huge responsibility and an exciting responsibility.”
What to Know About ‘Marshals’
‘Marshals’ follows Kayce Dutton after he leaves the family ranch. His wife Monica has passed away. Kayce now raises their son Tate alone while working as a U.S. Marshal in Montana.
The team includes:
- Pete “Cal” Calvin played by Logan Marshall-Green, Kayce’s former Navy SEAL teammate and team leader
- Andrea Santos played by Ash Santos, a sharp Marshal from outside Montana
- Belle Skinner played by Arielle Kebbel, a former ATF undercover specialist
- Miles Kittle played by Tatanka Means, a Marshal from the Broken Rock Reservation
The show mixes Western settings with action-packed law enforcement missions. Each episode follows the team tracking down fugitives across Montana.
Arielle Kebbel described her character as “Martha Stewart in cowboy boots.” She also called Belle a “badass cowgirl” who knows the land better than anyone else on the team.
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Other Actors Have Similar Experiences With Sheridan
Arielle Kebbel is not alone in her limited contact with Taylor Sheridan. Other actors working on his shows have shared similar stories.
Billy Bob Thornton, who leads ‘Landman,’ told Awards Radar that Sheridan gave him special permission to improvise lines. This is rare because Sheridan writes tight scripts and usually does not allow changes.
“Taylor wrote some wonderful scripts, and his writing is pretty tight, but Taylor has actually been very loose with me.”
Thornton explained that Sheridan treats him like a partner because he is also a writer and director.
“Taylor said, ‘Look, you’re a writer, you’re a director. You get this stuff. We’re partners in this.’”
Sheridan’s Busy Schedule Keeps Him Behind the Scenes
Taylor Sheridan writes most of his shows alone. He told The Hollywood Reporter that he tried working with writers’ rooms but it did not work for him. Other writers brought ideas that did not match his vision.
He currently has at least five projects releasing in 2026 alone. That schedule leaves little room for visiting sets or meeting every cast member.
Arielle Kebbel understood this reality. She did not express any frustration about never meeting him. Instead, she focused on the positive experience of working with Spencer Hudnut and the rest of the production team.
The show continues to air new episodes every Sunday on CBS. Fans of the ‘Yellowstone’ universe can watch Kayce Dutton‘s new journey every week through May 24, 2026.
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