Why Kayce Dutton From Yellowstone Looks So Familiar

Across five action-packed seasons, "Yellowstone" featured a cast of familiar actors and steadily accrued millions of devoted fans. The show's popularity catalyzed an impressive number of related series in the universe. Some, like "1883" and "1923," moved backward in time. Others, like "Marshalls," are moving into the future, leaving an opportunity for some "Yellowstone" actors to reprise their roles. One of these recurring characters is Kayce Dutton, played by Luke Grimes. As the son of Kevin Costner's character, John Dutton, Grimes had plenty of screen time, making him a familiar face. In addition, the gorgeous "Yellowstone" actor has decades of acting experience in roles ranging from the "Fifty Shades of Grey" franchise to a stint on "True Blood." Grimes also appeared in another vampire-related drama, "Manhattan Undying," and the 2016 remake of the classic western "The Magnificent Seven."

However, Grimes has a special place in his heart for Kayce. "I really liked playing that character," Grimes informed Esquire in 2025. Even so, Grimes wasn't interested in revisiting Kayce without a compelling narrative. Luckily, he was fully on board with the "Marshalls" series. "It was the most fulfilling job I've ever had in my life, so I'm happy not to say goodbye to him fully," he admitted.

Grimes is excited to take the character in new directions. "This is going to be a very different show and a very different version of Kayce—and maybe not the version he had in mind—but it'll open the door for a lot of really interesting storylines," Grimes explained to Country Living.

In 2022, Luke Grimes branched out into a musical career. The "Yellowstone" star was aware that some people might find the move perplexing, since his acting career was really taking off. However, both creative pursuits had been intertwined in Grimes' life for years, and he plays multiple instruments. After a long time playing for his own enjoyment, eventually the actor felt compelled to turn pro. "If I hadn't done it because I was afraid of the judgment, the workload or the stage fright ... one day I would have regretted it," Grimes explained to MusicRow.

Working as a musician has enabled Grimes to run the gamut of performance experiences. When he's portraying Kayce Dutton on "Yellowstone" and "Marshalls," Grimes is channeling personality traits that are sometimes the opposite of the actor's actual thoughts and feelings. In contrast, when he's writing music, Grimes puts his real-life self front and center. When he released his first full-length album in March 2024, Grimes included tracks that deal with emotional topics like the death of his father and his relationship with his wife, Bianca Rodrigues.

In addition, the "Yellowstone" star has found his engagement with fans to be completely different. "[With acting] there's no immediate sort of either gratification or feeling of failure, and that's what I've been liking about doing these live shows," Grimes confided to Music Mayhem Magazine in October 2023.

Luke Grimes became a parent during his time on "Yellowstone" when he and his wife, Bianca Rodrigues, had a son in October 2024. "I knew one day I wanted to start my own family, and I knew that that was going to be where the real happiness came from. The other stuff was just going to pay the bills," Grimes divulged to People weeks after Rigel Grimes was born. From the start, Grimes planned to share his love of music with Rigel, from playing his own album to making instruments available for his son to play. When Grimes played at the storied Grand Ole Opry in November 2024, he asked Rodrigues to bring their newborn out to meet the audience.

Since becoming a dad, Grimes' outlook changed to place his son front and center. "Any decision I make now is based around how that's going to affect him," the actor explained to Country Living in June 2025.

Even though being a new parent means less time to rest, the actor has noted that it also comes with many positives. He and Rodrigues have strengthened their bond through caring for their young son. In addition, Grimes has been delighted to watch his son's personality develop. "He's just a goofball," the actor informed Entertainment Tonight in January 2026. "I don't know where he gets some of the stuff he comes up with ... maybe me because I'm also a goofball."