Kelsey Asbille Opens Up About The Final Day Of Filming On Yellowstone

It’s been more than a month since Yellowstone aired its long-anticipated Season 5 finale—which also served as the closing chapter of the entire series. Yet even as the dust settles on one of television’s most gripping sagas, new reflections and behind-the-scenes stories continue to emerge from the cast. These personal glimpses into the making of the final season help fans savor what made Yellowstone such a uniquely powerful experience on and off screen.

In a recent heartfelt interview on The Kelly Clarkson Show, actress Kelsey Asbille, known for portraying Monica Dutton—wife of Kayce Dutton and mother in the emotionally-charged storyline of the Dutton family—offered a vivid recollection of her final day on set. And it wasn’t just a tearful goodbye to a beloved role. It was, quite literally, a day surrounded by fire.

“Our last day of shooting is something I’ll never forget,” Asbille said, visibly moved as she described the surreal, almost cinematic atmosphere of that final shoot. “We were kind of sitting ducks with the fires, with the smoke.”

As wildfires raged nearby, threatening to disrupt filming entirely, the cast and crew found themselves suspended in an uneasy waiting game. “So, we were waiting for it to finally clear,” she recalled. “It was our last day; it’s the final time you see these characters, and we’re all on horseback—even our director, Taylor Sheridan, he’s on horseback—and we’ve got a hundred cattle, and the clouds just part and the sun goes over the hill and it’s just gorgeous, really beautiful.”

The image she paints is nothing short of poetic: horses lined up, cattle stretching across the horizon, smoke lingering in the air as if nature itself was bidding farewell to the characters. The weight of the moment wasn’t lost on anyone involved. For Asbille and her fellow actors, it wasn’t just another day on set—it was the end of a defining era in their careers.

While Yellowstone has become synonymous with rugged Western authenticity, it wasn’t always easy for the actors to mirror that toughness—especially for Asbille, who faced her own personal challenge: a deep-seated fear of horses.

“I’m so scared of horses,” she admitted with a laugh, adding a human, relatable note to the grandeur of the show’s wild Western aesthetic. “So Taylor kept being like, ‘Monica, ride up, ride up,’ and I’d be like, ‘Nope, she’s gonna be right here; she’s gonna oversee from behind.’”

It wasn’t until the very last season that she was invited to what cast members affectionately call “cowboy camp”—an intensive training experience where actors learn to rope, ride, and essentially embody the Montana ranch lifestyle.

“My first day of cowboy camp—they didn’t invite me until the very last year, with good reason because I’m just absolutely terrified—they threw me in right with all the cattle, and I’m just a mess,” Asbille laughed, remembering the chaos. “But we’ve got the best wranglers in the world so… I trust them.”

Her story resonates not just as a funny anecdote, but as a testament to the dedication and transformation the cast underwent to fully inhabit their characters. Despite her fear, Asbille’s commitment to portraying Monica with authenticity never wavered, even if that meant facing down a field full of cattle while suppressing her nerves.

The interview served as a touching tribute to the camaraderie and creative collaboration that defined the final days of Yellowstone. With director and series creator Taylor Sheridan literally riding alongside his cast, it’s clear the show’s conclusion wasn’t treated as just another wrap—it was a carefully orchestrated goodbye. Sheridan, known for his deeply immersive directing style and hands-on presence, created an environment where cast and crew alike could experience the story’s emotional beats as deeply as viewers would on screen.

As the curtain falls on Yellowstone, fans are left with these poignant stories, painting a fuller picture of what went into creating one of the most popular dramas of the decade. For Kelsey Asbille and the rest of the cast, saying goodbye wasn’t just about filming the final scene—it was about witnessing the end of something extraordinary, with nature, fire, and fate all playing a part in the show’s unforgettable finale.

It’s been more than a month since Yellowstone aired its long-anticipated Season 5 finale—which also served as the closing chapter of the entire series. Yet even as the dust settles on one of television’s most gripping sagas, new reflections and behind-the-scenes stories continue to emerge from the cast. These personal glimpses into the making of…