Riley Green is friends with Marshals star Luke Grimes. He’s a massively popular country singer. His role as Garrett felt, by multiple accounts, like it was written specifically for him. And yet, he still had to audition for it.

That’s the way Green wanted it.

The country star opened up about the process of landing his role on the hit CBS Yellowstone spinoff in an interview with Decider, revealing that despite his friendship with Grimes, no favors were called in. Green plays Garrett, a former SEAL Team member and old friend of Kayce Dutton, in what has already been described as the show’s strongest episode to date.

“I’m the new guy here,” Green said. “Certainly, because I’ve had a music career doesn’t mean that I’m any good at acting. So, I was glad that I got to go read, because it gave me a little confidence that they said, ‘OK, you’re good enough to do it,’ because I had no clue if I was going to be any good.”

Riley Green is Glad He Had to Audition for ‘Marshals’

The contrast with how other country stars have landed roles on CBS shows is notable. Jelly Roll was offered his part on Fire Country outright, and Kane Brown’s role on the same show was written specifically for him. Green’s path was different, and by his own account, more meaningful for it.

“I wouldn’t want to be given a part because of something I’ve done in music,” he said. “I want to somewhat earn it if I can. I think I skipped a lot of steps by getting a part like this as my first gig, but I’m very thankful that I was given that opportunity.”

Grimes did help Green prepare, allowing him to come to set and read with him ahead of the formal audition process. But the decision to cast him was made the old-fashioned way.

“I saw an interview where he was kind of joking about ‘Man, we made him read for it,’” Green recalled of Grimes. “And I thought — at that point, that didn’t seem strange to me.”

Riley Green’s Character in ‘Marshals’

Green’s Garrett is a welcome addition to the Yellowstone universe for fans who have always wanted more of Kayce’s military backstory. As a former SEAL Team member and old friend, Garrett opens up a chapter of Kayce Dutton’s life that the flagship show only ever touched on, and based on his introduction, the character could have a significant role to play going forward.

For Green, whose acting debut this may be, the early returns are promising. The episode featuring his entrance has been called the best of the series so far — not bad for someone who wasn’t sure he’d be any good.

Marshals airs Sundays at 8 p.m. ET on CBS and streams the next day on Paramount+.