Created by Taylor Sheridan, The Madison trades the sweeping ranch rivalries of his earlier work for something more intimate: a character-driven drama about family, grief and reinvention set against the vast landscapes of Montana. The new Paramount+ original series follows the Clyburn family — led by Michelle Pfeiffer and Kurt Russell as Stacy and Preston — as they leave their comfortable New York City lives behind for the rugged beauty of the Madison River Valley, where the slower rhythms of rural life force them to confront both loss and their own sense of privilege.
Among the locals whose lives intersect with the newly arrived family are two characters who offer very different perspectives on the outsiders settling into their community. Rebecca Spence plays Liliana Weeks, a longtime friend of Stacy’s who becomes an emotional anchor for the matriarch as she navigates unfamiliar terrain, while Ben Schnetzer appears as Montana police officer Van Davis – a man whose growing connection with the Clyburns, particularly their eldest daughter, complicates the boundary between local and newcomer.
When our Peter Gray spoke with Spence and Schnetzer ahead of the series’ release, the conversation ranged from the unique dynamic their characters have with the Clyburn family to how the community views these wealthy New Yorkers arriving in their quiet valley. The pair also shared their thoughts on playing characters who see the Clyburns as outsiders, and – fittingly, given Pfeiffer’s commanding presence at the centre of the series – reminisced about the Michelle Pfeiffer films that first made them fans of the legendary actress.
I’m going to say as someone who got into movies because of Michelle Pfeiffer, I’m a little bit jealous that you both got to work with her.
Ben Schnetzer: Which Michelle Pfeiffer movies? What was the tractor beam?
I saw Batman Returns at 7-years-old and was changed.
Rebecca Spence: Yeah, easy to do.
And then as a kid, I was like, “I now want to watch The Fabulous Baker Boys and The Age of Innocence.
Ben Schnetzer: Dude, Batman Returns and The Fabulous Baker Boys, those were my two Michelle Pfeiffer anchors.
And Rebecca, I very much understood when your character said that she would ruin Chanel pants for (Michelle)…
Rebecca Spence: (Laughs) That’s a no brainer.
What I loved about your characters is that you’re the outsider perspective. Your characters are orbiting the family rather than being inside of it. For both of you, from the outside, what do you think people misunderstand about the family the most?
Ben Schnetzer: That’s a really good question.
Rebecca Spence: I think from Liliana’s perspective, she has seen the entire spectrum of each of those family members personalities. I think she has seen them in their shining moments, and she seems them in the moments they make mistakes (and) the moments where they could use a little bit of a talking to. I think she has such an intimate understanding of their family dynamic as an unofficial family member.
I would like to think that she has been at all of those important moments. The graduations, the christenings, the weddings, the times when the kids snuck in and they weren’t supposed to…you know, those really pivotal moments that best friends have when they get to hear the intimate details from the inside. I think she knows how fallible they are, and I think she knows how special (the family) is. They’re vulnerable and they have a great love for one another.
I think the thing that we find as an audience is this enduring love for one another. (Something) that they are trying to figure out as well, with the messiness of what wealth can take you away from, and yet what a strong family bond can bring you back into. I think (Liliana) is a witness to all of that, and is a support system that gets to kind of be a bumper for some of those characters. I hope that she has not only been there for Stacy, but for each of the children as well. That she’s kind of a godmother, if you will. A guiding friend, a source of love and support and encouragement.
Ben Schnetzer: From Van’s perspective, and he touches on it in the third episode when he says, “I don’t meet a lot of people at their best moments.” I think being in the line of work that he’s in, and also being from such a tight knit community, he has such a close proximity to Earth, to life, to death. He has a closeness to nature. There’s something very humbling, and there’s something very human in that. I think he’s someone who does not bring a lot of judgement with him when he meets new people. I think he’s used to meeting people, and being in service he’s trying to help and protect, and he doesn’t take it upon himself to cast judgment.
I think for the Clyburns, that’s something that’s unfamiliar to them. (They’re) coming from an orbit they’re used to, and (Montana) brings something refreshing. I think because of that openness and because of the newness that they’re afforded in this new place, it clears the way for (Van) and Abby to kind a counterpoint in one another. For he and Stacy to find a counterpoint in one another. And to find common ground that they all share.
The first 3 episodes of The Madison will be available to stream on Paramount+ from March 14th, 2026, with episodes 4-6 arriving on March 21st.
