Trace Adkins Wants Blake Shelton to Play His ‘Stupid Younger Brother’ on ‘Monarch’

Trace Adkins stars as the “Texas truth teller” patriarch on the FOX country music drama Monarch, alongside Susan Sarandon as fierce matriarch Dottie Cantrell Roman. Set in Austin, Texas, Monarch has the musical integrity of fellow country music drama Nashville, but with a darker intensity that matches the size of the Lonestar State.

In addition to Sarandon, Adkins’ co-stars include Golden Globe nominee Anna Friel, as well as Joshua Sasse of “Galavant” and singer-songwriter Beth Ditto, formerly of the indie rock band Gossip. Fans can also expect to see even more star power from the country music world with guest appearances by Shania Twain, Martina McBride, Little Big Town and Tanya Tucker throughout the season.

When asked which other stars he’d like to star alongside him on Monarch, Adkins mentioned a long-time country collaborator.

“I think we should bring Blake Shelton, let him play my stupid younger brother,” Adkins told Fox News Digital. “That’s kind of what he is anyway.”

Ahead of the series premiere, Shelton took to Twitter to “prove” his friendship with Adkins. Along with three photos of Shelton trying to kiss Adkins on the cheek and a photo of Shelton in a deep embrace with Adkins, he tweeted: “So excited about @TraceAdkins and @MonarchOnFOX season premiere this Sunday that I had to prove that he and I truly are friends now that he’s actually going to be famous.” 

So excited about @TraceAdkins and @MonarchOnFOX season premiere this Sunday that I had to prove that he and I truly are friends now that he’s actually going to be famous. pic.twitter.com/CIKM1qaJDf

— Blake Shelton (@blakeshelton) September 7, 2022

Adkins has collaborated with Shelton several times, most recently on the track “If I Was a Woman” from Adkins’ 2021 album The Way I Wanna Go.

Two years earlier, Shelton featured Adkins on the song “Hell Right” from his compilation album, Fully Loaded: God’s Country.

The pair also joined forces in 2009 for the massive hit “Hillbilly Bone,” which won the ACM Vocal Event of the Year in 2010.

Adkins’ character Albie Roman on Monarch helped create a country music empire based on authenticity, but the foundation of the family’s success is on shaky ground with a secret. Their reign as country music’s first family is in danger, so daughter and heir to the throne Nicky Roman (played by Anna Friel) will not be stopped in her pursuit of protecting her family’s legacy and her own dreams of stardom. Her brother, Luke Roman (played by Joshua Sasse), is CEO of the family business Monarch Entertainment but can never seem to earn his father Albie’s approval, no matter how hard he tries. The youngest of the Roman children is Gigi Tucker-Roman, who has always been treated like an outcast in her own family, in spite of her enviable talent.

Monarch made its initial debut on Sept. 11. The show returns to FOX on Tuesdays at 9/8c.