‘Yellowstone’ Lilli Kay describes how her real-life partner got cast in the series

Yellowstone‘s fifth season has introduced new characters, storylines, and relationships to root for. One of them was gifted to us in the form of Governor John Dutton’s new assistant, Clara Brewer.

Brewer, brought to life by Lilli Kay, is a character as strong as she is determined and more fit to be John’s assistant than one might have initially thought. She’s not afraid of a challenge, quick-witted, and always ready to jump into action, whether in an official setting or on the ranch with the hands and the cowboys. She’s multifaceted, eager to learn, and prepared. She’s also a character that enjoys a good county fair and a sweet kiss.

In a chat with Deadline, Kay gives audiences insight into her character’s kiss and how her real-life partner got roped into the situation during a visit to the Yellowstone set.

“I’ll tell you something about that. We were in our Covid protocol. It was written that Clara is making out with someone in the background behind John and Summer. And we were trying to figure out who was easy and comfortable [to cast] who was also in the testing cycle. My partner, Juli Kocemba, was there with me in Montana, so they said, ‘oh, let’s just have you guys make out in the background.’ My partner’s non-binary, so we’re like, ‘well it’s a gender fluid make out in the background.’ We thought, nobody’s gonna make a big a big deal about it. And then a lot of people made a very big deal about it.”

Fans did make a big deal out of it, and it was something talked about so much that Kay and her partner both heard about it from the ever-growing Yellowstone Cinematic Universe realm. She went on to say that it was quite hilarious because they weren’t even sure that people would catch on to what was happening in the background.

Of course, Kay wasn’t aware at the time of how dedicated Yellowstone fans are and just how closely they pay attention to every little detail.

“It was very funny because I did not expect anyone to even really catch it. And then people were like, lesbians on the range! It was very, very funny. But it was a fun little evening. We got to listen to some really good music and hang out and quietly make out in the background. Lesbians on the ranch!”

Some scenes in Yellowstone are almost enough to give you anxiety just by watching them, so it’s not hard to imagine that they’re nail-biting for the cast and crew. However, episodes that have moments like recent music festivals and the county fair are a change of pace for everyone involved. The actors and actresses get to have fun together, and audiences at home enjoy the happiness our favorite characters experience. They’re a win-win for everyone.