A Surprise Twist at PaleyFest 2023

Pedro Pascal and Katee Sackhoff, The Mandalorian

Tonight is the final night of PaleyFest 2023.

There was a time, not that long ago, that I waited in anticipation for the panels to be announced for the annual PaleyFest, the former two-week long celebration of television. That was before the pandemic; in fact, that was before I started my own business, leaving the 9-to-5 workday life far, far behind.

During the pandemic, we all had to “enjoy” our events and activities virtually. But now that we are three years removed from the start of the pandemic, and events and activities are happening more and more in person, that means fans of TV can once again see their favorites live on the stage at the Dolby Theatre thanks to PaleyFest.

This year’s PaleyFest was shortened to only 5 nights and 7 panels. The TV shows that have already hit the stage include the following:

The Mandalorian (Disney+)
Abbott Elementary (ABC)
Yellowstone (Paramount Network)
Grey’s Anatomy (ABC)
The Late Late Show with James Corden (CBS)
Yellowjackets (Showtime)

The Late Late Show with James Corden

Tonight’s panel – focusing on The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel from Amazon Prime Video, will bring this year’s shorter version of PaleyFest to an end.

Perhaps the biggest story out of this year’s event was the Yellowstone panel that was expected, and even announced, to feature all of the primary cast members, including Kevin Costner (John Dutton), Kelly Reilly (Beth Dutton), Cole Hauser (Rip Wheeler), Luke Grimes (Kayce Dutton), Kelsey Asbille (Monica Dutton), Wes Bentley (Jamie Dutton), Gil Birmingham (Thomas Rainwater) and Jacki Weaver (Caroline Warner) as well as series creator Taylor Sheridan and executive producer David Glasser.

Sadly, all of the above DID NOT attend the Yellowstone PaleyFest panel, adding fuel to the fire of the recent headlines that there is trouble behind the scenes of the juggernaut series that is currently the highest rated series on all of television.

Cast Members: Wendy Moniz (Lynelle Perry), Josh Lucas (young John Dutton), Dawn Olivieri (Sarah Atwood) and Mo Brings Plenty (Mo)

As a reminder, back in February a dispute behind the scenes of the show surfaced, claiming that lead actor Kevin Costner allegedly wanted to limit himself to just one week of shooting on the remaining eight episodes of the current season. Reportedly, this issue was a “source of frustration” for Taylor Sheridan and was allegedly “causing morale problems with his co-stars.” A short time later, Costner’s attorney called this supposed accusation “an absolute lie.”

So, the fact that all of the main cast and the top EP’s of the show pulled out at the last minute certainly makes one pause, wondering if there is any truth to the rumors, speculation and obvious drama that is now playing out in front of the camera and not just behind the scenes.

[Photo Credits: Esther M. Rubin]