Yellowstone just dropped a new spinoff called Marshals, and fans have been wondering what happened to Monica Dutton (played by Kelsey Asbille) ever since they noticed she wasn't in promotional materials. And, sadly, the premiere revealed that Monica—who's married to Kayce Dutton—passed away from cancer.
So...why would the show make this devastating choice?
Series creator Spencer Hudnut tells TV Insider that "Kayce and Monica had such a beautiful ending [in] Yellowstone so when I first met with Luke, he was like, 'Kayce’s really happy. Are we going to make a show about a guy who’s really happy?' We had to shake up his life, to get him off the ranch and into a new position."
Spencer added, "We’re shining a light on an issue. She passes because of cancer. Reservations have a high rate of cancer because of all the toxins that have been dumped on them. We wanted to make her death about a bigger issue. We wanted to be very respectful of that character."
FYI, Kayce will remain close to Broken Rock Tribe chairman Thomas Rainwater and Mo, since "Spiritually they were Monica’s family, so they’re family. He’s married into this tribe and this family. They’re one of the only ways he can hold onto and honor her memory. He knows she would want him to stay close to the things that matter to [Rainwater and Mo] because it mattered to her and her people."
