Luke Grimes may be instantly recognizable to millions of viewers as cowboy Kayce Dutton, but at home, his Western look apparently inspires more laughter than awe.

The Yellowstone star, who returned to the role of Kayce in the CBS spinoff Marshals, has revealed that his young son finds one particular part of his costume especially amusing: the cowboy hat.

Speaking while promoting the new series, Grimes shared that his one-year-old son does not quite understand why his father suddenly appears wearing such a large hat.

The reaction, Grimes said, is usually laughter.

For audiences who have watched him play Kayce since Yellowstone debuted in 2018, the hat is a familiar part of the character’s rugged Western image. For his toddler, however, it is simply a funny object sitting on his father’s head.

Family Stayed Close During Filming

Grimes, 42, shares his son with his wife, Brazilian model Bianca Rodrigues Grimes.

The actor said his family remained close while he filmed Marshals in Utah.

Rather than spending long stretches away from them, Grimes explained that Bianca and their child came with him during production.

The family temporarily based themselves in Park City, just a short distance from the soundstage, which meant his wife and son could visit the set regularly.

That arrangement was particularly meaningful for Grimes as he adjusted to balancing his professional life with being a first-time father.

His son was apparently enthusiastic about coming to set, even if the sight of his dad in full Kayce Dutton costume was still a source of amusement.

Becoming a Father Changed Grimes’ Life

Grimes and Bianca welcomed their first child in October 2024.

Bianca publicly announced the arrival on Instagram, sharing the news that the couple had welcomed a baby boy. The birth came two months after the couple revealed that they were expecting their first child.

Since then, Grimes has spoken increasingly openly about how fatherhood has affected him.

The actor has described his love for his son as something that continues to deepen, saying the emotional experience has exceeded anything he could have imagined before becoming a parent.

He has also incorporated fatherhood into his music.

On his 2026 album Redbird, Grimes included a song inspired by his young son, offering fans another glimpse of the more personal side of the actor best known for playing intense and often troubled characters.

From Yellowstone to Marshals

Grimes first became closely associated with cowboy culture through his role as Kayce Dutton on Yellowstone.

The Paramount Network drama, which premiered in 2018 and concluded its original run in 2024, followed the powerful Dutton family and their fight to protect their Montana ranch.

Kayce was one of the central members of the family, appearing as the son of ranch patriarch John Dutton, played by Kevin Costner.

The character combined several identities over the course of the series: rancher, former Navy SEAL, husband, father and reluctant heir to the Dutton legacy.

After Yellowstone ended, Grimes initially had doubts about continuing with Kayce in another television project.

He eventually agreed to return for Marshals, a CBS spinoff that moves the character beyond the ranch and places greater emphasis on his military and law-enforcement skills.

In the series, Kayce joins a U.S. Marshals unit and works alongside a new group of characters while still dealing with the personal consequences of his years within the Dutton family.

Grimes Says He Is Not Really a Cowboy

Grimes has also joked about the difference between his on-screen image and his actual life.

After years of playing Kayce, some viewers apparently assume that the actor is an authentic cowboy away from the cameras.

Grimes has said he occasionally meets especially devoted Yellowstone fans who are disappointed to learn that he is simply an actor playing the role.

He has responded humorously to people who tell him that he is “not a real cowboy,” pointing out that if he actually worked as one full-time, he would probably be herding cattle rather than starring in a television series.

His son’s reaction to the cowboy hat seems to underline that divide between Luke Grimes the actor and Kayce Dutton the character.

To television audiences, the hat has become part of an iconic Western persona.

To his child, it is apparently just something unusually large and funny that Dad sometimes wears to work.

The Cowboy Hat Has Become Part of Kayce’s Identity

The costume remains an important visual element of Kayce Dutton’s character.

Grimes has discussed how returning to the cowboy boots and hat helped him step back into the role for Marshals, even as the new series gives Kayce a different professional setting.

The black cowboy hat in particular has become closely associated with the character, helping maintain a visual connection between Marshals and the world of Yellowstone.

That continuity matters because the spinoff asks audiences to follow Kayce into a new chapter without completely abandoning the identity viewers came to know over five seasons.

The cowboy imagery remains, even though the character is now operating as part of a law-enforcement team rather than primarily on the family ranch.

A More Personal Chapter for the Yellowstone Star

Away from television, Grimes appears to have entered a markedly different phase of life.

His marriage, fatherhood and growing music career have increasingly become part of the public conversation surrounding him.

The actor married Bianca in 2018, and the couple have generally kept their relationship relatively private despite Grimes’ rising profile.

The arrival of their son added a new dimension to that life, and Grimes has suggested that having his family nearby has become especially important when he is working on demanding projects.

During Marshals, that meant relocating together rather than treating production as a long separation.

It also gave his son the chance to see what Dad looks like when he transforms into Kayce Dutton.

For now, however, Grimes may still have some explaining to do about the wardrobe.

The millions of fans who immediately recognize the boots, rugged clothes and cowboy hat may see one of television’s most familiar Western characters.

His son, meanwhile, still seems more interested in laughing at the oversized hat.