After Marshals revealed that Monica died off screen, one other Yellowstone OG addressed in the event that they are anxious about their very own character getting killed off.
Gil Birmingham weighed in on Yellowstone fans being anxious about his character’s injury within the Marshals premiere, exclusively joking to Us Weekly, “I’m going to be sure that they put that in my contract [that Thomas Rainwater can’t get hurt].”
Birmingham recalled how “dramatic” the reveal about Rainwater was.
“It still makes me laugh when people think I got shot,” he noted. “I took on shrapnel from the explosion.”
Despite Rainwater surviving the accident, the moment was meant to set the scene for something larger, with Birmingham explaining, “What we’re letting the audience know is that the responsibility of Rainwater now has increased to the purpose where he’s now a goal exactly where John Dutton was.”
He continued: “So anybody that’s going to be a hindrance when it comes to these outside forces that need to are available and utilize extract resources — be they people or minerals. That’s the politics and that’s the violence of the West. I’m glad I survived but it surely’s a brand new story line for Rainwater.”
The actor was interested by seeing how showrunner Spencer Hudnut evolved the stories introduced in Yellowstone.
“Spencer is entering — when it comes to the Native communities — as not quite as aware of it as Taylor [Sheridan] was. He didn’t survive the reservation with the Native community when he was younger like Taylor did. So kudos to him,” Birmingham said. “It’s a practical portrayal too. There may be a lost and there’s plenty of grief on our reservation and a few of this stuff are very much tied into toxins which might be being allowed to be dumped on to the reservation.”
Birmingham recalled being “crushed” when he discovered that Monica was dead within the spinoff, adding, “At the identical time, this stuff really hit you in the guts they usually’re real things in real life.”
Paramount Network’s Yellowstone, which aired from 2018 to 2024, introduced Us to Kayce (Luke Grimes) and Monica (Kelsey Asbille), who remained at the middle of the show until the finale. After teaching at an area school on the Broken Rock Indian Reservation, Monica went on to turn into a professor at Montana State University while navigating life with Kayce, who moved them back to the Yellowstone Ranch following his past tension with dad John (Kevin Costner).
Following John’s death, Kayce, a former U.S. Navy SEAL, became the brand new owner and operator of the Yellowstone Ranch. Kayce and Monica ended the show alive — and were still together — before Marshals began.
When the series premiered in March, fans were shocked to learn that Monica died after battling cancer.
“Kayce really needed — not that it wouldn’t have been great to have Monica back — but it surely sort of isolated him more akin to what his father was. He’s a single father trying to boost his family,” Birmingham said. “The sort of emotional trauma that will need to have been there for Kayce sets up not knowing what his purpose in life is. It was a terrific setup for taking place that trail of how Kayce goes to redeem himself or find purpose in his life, which very much allows the combination of Rainwater and Mo.”
Birmingham also told Us about how Marshals has attempted to platform the Native community, saying, “It’s a fragile balance to run because we don’t need to be a show of messages. We really need to interact an audience and we wish to entertain.”
He concluded: “But let’s use the chance to teach so it’s being handled so respectfully and honorably. Mo [Brings Plenty] is the Native consultant and he really has a hand in guiding it that way. He brings in his brother Joe as well. It’s necessary that we portray the importance of what traditional grievance is for us and the way we honor people who have passed on.”
Marshals airs on CBS Sundays at 8 p.m. ET.