1 of 4 | Left to right, Luke Grimes, Mo Brings Plenty and Gil Birmingham star in “Marshals.” Photo by Christopher Saunders/CBS
Mo Brings Plenty says he was excited and grateful to learn that the story of the people of the Broken Rock Reservation would continue in the Yellowstone spin-off, Marshals.
The contemporary Montana drama airs Sundays on CBS, streams on Paramount+ Mondays and has already been renewed for a second season.
It centers on former Navy SEAL Kayce Dutton (Luke Grimes), who is starting a new career as a U.S. Marshal after the deaths of most of his family and his greatly discounted sale of their enormous ranch to the reservation.
This gesture of good faith bonded Kayce to elected high chief Thomas Rainwater (Gil Birmingham) and his right-hand man, Mo, who now maintain the land and protect its people, focusing greatly on environmental threats.
“Mo and Kayce are warriors and that’s a brotherhood that’s unbreakable and, so, they still have a continuation of respect and a love for one another,” Brings Plenty, 56, told UPI in a recent Zoom interview.
“Rainwater, at times, would almost play that father figure for Kayce, as well, in the absence of John Dutton [Kevin Costner’s character who dies in Yellowstone].”
Kayce’s new job in law-enforcement is a positive development for the reservation, according to Brings Plenty.
“I believe it helps a lot because now we have someone on the inside who understands our culture, who understands our traditions, who’s been with the people and who understands the people,” the actor said. “So, it’s very much a helpful situation for Broken Rock and for Rainwater and Mo.”
The local Marshals team also includes American Indian Miles (Tatanka Means).
“I love that character. I love Tatanka. Tatanka is my cousin by blood,” Brings Plenty said.
“I’m so thankful and so happy just to have that character in with the Marshals, as well. That’s an extra plus for the reservation,” he added.
“He’s always putting out a little bit of information — ‘You know, we can’t have another Wounded Knee.’ He’s conscious and aware. Just trying to bring that awareness to the rest of the team is very helpful. So, it’s another added voice.”
Brings Plenty praised Marshals show-runner Spencer Hudnut for seamlessly transitioning a franchise begun by Taylor Sheridan for a streaming platform to a broadcast network.
“Spencer and the rest of the crew have been together for a while,” he said.
“They’re a well-oiled machine. So, for us, it’s awesome. There’s no difference. We’re just rolling along and it’s wonderful, especially with Luke Grimes at the helm. That’s amazing — him and Spencer. So, it’s just, it’s just like we never left. When it’s just the three of us [Brings Plenty, Grimes and Birmingham] in a scene, it felt really amazing and good.”
Brings Plenty also continues in his capacity as American Indian Affairs Consultant so that the stories that are being told and the characters who are being portrayed are as authentic as possible.
“I’m thankful for that as well to have Spencer as a show-runner who always asks me questions and we have conversations and he’s open and he’s understanding,” the actor said.
“It takes a lot for someone to be vulnerable in that way. So, I feel very confident. I feel very comfortable with Spencer and his writing team,” he added.
“For me, as a consultant, I always try to go to our grassroots people because they’re the ones who made those sacrifices, paid those sacrifices to maintain language ceremonies, so on and so forth. And, so, I want to be honest, give them respect for what they have accomplished. They have a knowledge of things that you just can’t Google.”
Brings Plenty — who is also on the cultural affairs staff of the Arizona Ridge Riders — said he is happy that American Indian culture is getting more of a spotlight on television nowadays.
“Until now, we were, basically, a forgotten people and there’s not much still known about us,” he added.
“There’s a lot of assumptions, a lot of misinterpretations of our existence. And, so, shows like Yellowstone, Marshals, now Dark Winds, we’re starting to bring to the forefront what really occurs in Indian country.”
