Country music star Riley Green is stepping away from the recording studio and onto the small screen for his first foray into professional acting. Green is set to make his Riley Green’s ‘Marshals’ acting debut with Luke Grimes in the upcoming CBS series “Marshals,” a spinoff of the massive “Yellowstone” franchise. The 37-year-old singer will portray Garrett, a former Navy SEAL grappling with personal turmoil who finds a semblance of peace through his guitar.
The performance is structured as a dramatic four-episode arc, beginning Sunday, April 19, at 8 p.m. ET/PT. In the series, Green’s character is reunited with Kayce Dutton, played by Luke Grimes, a fellow former SEAL who served alongside Garrett in Afghanistan. The plot follows Kayce as he welcomes his old friend to Montana, offering a respite and a support system for a man who has endured significant hardship.
“He’s been through a lot,” Green said of the role. “He comes back into (Kayce’s) life, who’s trying to help him out. It’s a tough character.”
From Nashville songwriting to the Montana set
The transition from music to acting was not a calculated career move, but rather a byproduct of a real-life friendship. The opportunity for Green to join the cast emerged while he and Grimes were collaborating on songs in Nashville. At the time, the “Different ‘Round Here” singer had expressed a general interest in acting, coinciding with the production of “Marshals” coming together for Grimes.
Grimes, who returns to the Dutton universe as Kayce, viewed the casting as a natural fit. “I just thought getting (Green) on ‘Marshals’ was a super good idea, and he was really excited about it,” Grimes said.
The casting process was unconventional. Rather than a standard audition, Grimes personally attended Green’s reading in Park City, Utah, sitting in with the producers as the country star tried out for the role. For Green, having a close friend present helped mitigate the anxiety of entering an unfamiliar professional environment.
“I guess that doesn’t happen all the time, where the star of the show sits in with somebody trying out for a part,” Green said. “But man, I’ve got to be such good friends with Luke, and it makes it so much easier to step into a world that I wasn’t necessarily comfortable in.”
Musical intersections and character boundaries
While both Green and Grimes are known for their musical abilities, the show maintains a strict boundary between their real-life talents and their fictional personas. Viewers will see Green perform his song “My Way” during a campfire scene in the April 26 episode. However, the performance remains a solo effort.
Despite his own musical background, Grimes has been reluctant to let Kayce Dutton pick up a guitar. He noted that it would feel inconsistent with the character’s established history in the Paramount+ and CBS universe. “It would be really bizarre for people to see Kayce pull out a guitar and be like, ‘I’ve been hiding this skill the whole time,'” Grimes said.
The professional exchange between the two extends beyond the screen. While Grimes helped Green navigate the complexities of a television set, Green contributed to Grimes’ musical projects, collaborating on the album “Red Bird.”
“Luke is going to have a career in country music. It’s exciting that I can help him out in some small way,” Green said. “He’s obviously helped me out quite a bit on my acting career.”
Viewing Schedule and Availability
For those looking to track the arc of Garrett’s story, the episodes will follow a specific release timeline on CBS and via streaming.
| Event | Date | Platform |
|---|---|---|
| Debut Episode | April 19, 2026 | CBS / Paramount+ |
| “My Way” Performance | April 26, 2026 | CBS / Paramount+ |
| Total Arc Duration | 4 Episodes | CBS / Paramount+ |
The series continues to expand the CBS storytelling landscape, utilizing the existing popularity of the Yellowstone universe to introduce new talent. Grimes has already praised Green’s transition to the screen, stating that the singer “absolutely crushes it” in his limited engagement.
The first episode featuring Riley Green is scheduled to air on April 19 at 8 p.m. ET/PT, marking the official start of his television career.
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