Fans have devised a theory surrounding Michelle Pfeiffer’s new character inThe Madison, which convincingly ties her to a member of1923’s cast.Taylor Sheridan’s landmarkYellowstoneTV show ended in December 2024 with its fifth and final season. That said, John Dutton’s (Kevin Costner)Yellowstoneuniverse will continue expanding with several upcoming spinoffs.
Still, one ofSheridan’s upcomingYellowstonespinoffshas no apparent ties to the Dutton family, leaving fans to speculate about howThe Madison,and Michelle Pfeiffer as its lead, Stacy Clyburn, weave intoYellowstone’s tapestry. With Sheridan’s track record,The Madisonwill likely link back toYellowstone,and the most probable theory for that emerges in1923’s ending.
Yellowstone Fan Theory: The Madison’s Stacy Clyburn Is Related To Elizabeth Strafford From 1923
Elizabeth Strafford Could Be Stacy Clyburn’s Grandmother Or Great-Grandmother
There’s an unresolved plot point in thefinale of1923season 2, and fans believe it links Pfeiffer’sYellowstonecharacter to John Dutton’s family. At the end of1923,Jack Dutton’s (Darren Mann) sweetheart,Elizabeth Strafford (Michelle Randolph), leaves the Yellowstone Ranch after Jack’s death, finally parting with the Montana wilderness that she detested.
Many now believe that Elizabeth’s departure sets upThe Madison.What we know about the story so far is thatStacy and her family, the McIntoshes, relocate from New York City to Montana after a significant family death. While Stacy appears to have no ties to theDutton family tree, Elizabeth’s unfinished story could be the missing link.
Fans have speculated thatStacy could be Elizabeth Strafford’s grandchild, since she will emerge from a city in the East and gravitate toward Montana. While Stacy and her family don’t carry the Dutton surname, Jack’s sweetheart would have likely taken her second partner’s name, establishing a new lineage. That said, she is still pregnant with Jack Dutton’s baby at the end of1923.
WhenElizabeth departs the Yellowstone Ranch at the end of1923,we have no idea where she is going or how her story will unfold, despite Cara Dutton’s (Helen Mirren) predictions. Therefore, Sheridan could have saved the continuation of Liz’s story for anotherYellowstoneshow, andThe Madison’s subverted premise could be setting the stage for that.
Michelle Pfeiffer Would Be The Perfect Actor To Play Michelle Randolph’s Yellowstone Descendant
Michelle Randolph & Michelle Pfeiffer Share Key Characteristics
Beyond the potential narrative connections between Elizabeth Strafford and Stacy Clyburn, there’s another similarity that’s impossible to ignore. When looking at the actors side by side,Michelle Pfeiffer would be the perfect actor to play Michelle Randolph’sYellowstonedescendant, as they plausibly resemble relatives.
Sheridan pays special attention to detail when casting his shows, especially hisYellowstoneproductions. For instance, Josh Lucas' younger John Dutton is the spitting image of Kevin Costner. The same could be said about the younger and older actors of otherYellowstonecharacters, whose resemblance allows fans to blend the different narratives and connections of the stories seamlessly.
The Madison Fan Theory Justifies Its Position In The Yellowstone Universe
The Madison’s Role Is Currently Unclear
If the link between Elizabeth and Stacy materialized, it would fully justifyThe Madison’s place inYellowstone.As they are, with no connections to John Dutton or his family,the Clyburn family is an enigma in the neo-Western franchise, their Eastern roots entirely defying what we’ve come to expectfromYellowstone’s characters.
It would mean Stacy and her family aren’t some random New York family moving to Montana.
If Stacy and her family are connected to Elizabeth, that makesThe Madison’s place in theYellowstoneuniverse click. It would mean Stacy and her family aren’t some random New York family moving to Montana. They could be the distant kin of James and John Dutton I, their story thus deeply rooted in the history ofYellowstone’s Dutton family tree.
