The spinoff of Yellowstone, titled Dutton Ranch, isn’t shying away from delivering unexpected character fatalities.
In an exclusive conversation with Us Weekly, Marc Menchaca discussed whether the show’s lethal surprises have him concerned about his character Zachariah’s future. He admitted, “It’s always a possibility — and I have a pretty good track record of saying bye bye on a show.”
Menchaca humorously addressed his on-screen misfortune.
“My wife [Lena Headey] put together a death reel for my birthday last year. It ran for about 10 minutes and didn’t even include all my death scenes,” he joked. “So I was a little bit [worried].”
He elaborated, “I thought, ‘They might kill me off, so I better stay in everyone’s good graces.’ Hopefully, it won’t happen, but with the way things are now, you receive scripts just shortly before shooting. You read them wondering, ‘Is it my turn next?’ Thankfully, it hasn’t happened [yet].”
Yellowstone first introduced audiences to the Dutton family in 2018. The Paramount Network series concluded in 2024, expanding its universe through Luke Grimes’ CBS show Marshals and Dutton Ranch, which launched in May.
New faces in Dutton Ranch include Annette Bening and Ed Harris. Other additions are Jai Courtney, Natalie Alyn Lind, Juan Pablo Raba, J. R. Villarreal, and Menchaca’s Zachariah.
“He was a cowboy who drifted from one ranch to another, working various jobs. He was one of those rodeo guys making a living as he went. That’s the essence of cowboy life,” Menchaca explained. “It’s incredibly thrilling because you never know what’s going to happen — whether you’re on the back of a bucking horse or out roping. There’s always an element of surprise.”
Expanding on his character, Menchaca added, “He was hooked on the cowboy lifestyle, and learning what eventually led him to prison brought everything into perspective.”
Filming Dutton Ranch allowed Menchaca to reconnect with his past.
“I was raised in that environment. I drew inspiration from the ranchers I worked with,” he shared. “I aspired to be a team roper when I was young, and this experience brought back memories of my childhood.”
Looking to the future, Menchaca hinted at upcoming developments, saying, “There’s bound to be tension. It certainly creates drama, and we will discover that certain aspects of the 10 Petal aren’t quite what you’d expect from a country boy.”
Dutton Ranch is available on Paramount+ every Friday.
