‘Yellowstone’ Star Kelsey Asbille Says Monica Is Tied to the Duttons ‘Whether She Likes It or Not’
Yellowstone's Season 4 premiere included some extra-intense action for Monica Dutton (Kelsey Asbille) and her son, Tate (Brecken Merrill), and in a new interview, Asbille opens up about what lies ahead for her character after a turn of events that is certain to change everything.
Season 4 of Yellowstone opened on Nov. 7 with a two-episode premiere that began with the entire Dutton family under attack. The action resumed right where Season 3 ended in a cliffhanger, with John Dutton (Kevin Costner) shot on the side of the road, Kayce Dutton (Luke Grimes) getting attacked by gunmen in his office and Beth Dutton (Kelly Reilly) appearing to get blown up by a package bomb.
In the opening minutes of Season 4, Tate ends up having to kill one of the attackers at the ranch to defend his mom. Season 4's third episode on Sunday night (Nov. 14) revealed the deep trauma he's suffered, and Monica blames Kayce for pressuring her to return to the ranch with Tate, saying, "This place is evil." A confrontation ensues in which she says, "I hate you," and says that she wants to leave the Dutton ranch again to return to the reservation, leaving the future of their marriage uncertain.
"In some ways, she's always felt like an outsider and been very wary of the family, and I think especially when she sees how it takes hold of her son ... oh, she's willing to fight, you know," Asbille tells Taste of Country. "She wants to get him out of there."
Asbille says that while Monica "is definitely going to look to her community and her home and her culture as a way of healing for her family," that doesn't necessarily mean she's going to break free of the Duttons and their hold on her life.
'I think the stars are crossed, or she's tied to the Duttons — whether she likes it or not," Asbille adds with a laugh.
Watch Asbille, Cole Hauser (Rip Wheeler) and Gil Birmingham (Thomas Rainwater) talk about Season 4 in the video below:
Kelly Reilly, who plays Beth Dutton on the runaway hit show, also talked to Taste of Country about her character's arc in Season 4 of Yellowstone. Click below to see that interview:
Yellowstone's enormous ratings have inspired multiple upcoming spinoffs. Yellowstone: 6666 has been announced, but few facts are yet available. Fans of country music will be especially interested in1883, which stars Tim McGraw and Faith Hill as James and Margaret Dutton, John Dutton's great-grandparents.
1883 follows the early Dutton clan as they head West on a rigorous wagon train journey from Texas to Montana, where they will end up establishing the Yellowstone Dutton Ranch. The show also stars Sam Elliott, and Billy Bob Thornton will appear in a guest role.
Yellowstone Season 4 airs on Sundays on the Paramount Network, while 1883 is set to premiere on Dec. 19 via Paramount+. Subscribe to the streaming service to make sure you don't miss out.