Faith Hill as Margaret Dutton and Tim McGraw as James Dutton in the ‘Yellowstone’ prequel ‘1883.'.Photo: Paramount+
When Paramount+ announced that aYellowstoneprequel was in the works, fans of the Western drama were thrilled. Ascasting news for1883was released, it became clear that the limited series was going to be something special.
By August 2021,Tim McGraw,Faith HillandSam Elliottwere attached to the series, with Hill excitedly announcing the news on her Instagram Story.
“Finally the day has come when I get to share some exciting news with you!” she wrote. “I will be playing Margaret Dutton, the original matriarch of the Dutton family in theYellowstoneprequel1883. Just wait, you have never seen anything like this!”
1883was unique as it offeredYellowstonefans a look at the Dutton family’s origin story. CreatorTaylor Sheridanbrought the show to the small screen as part of his multi-year deal with Paramount Network.
Real-life couple McGraw and Hill had fun filming together portraying James and Margaret Dutton. “It’s beenincredible to do scenes togetherand to watch [Hill] work," McGraw said.
Now that Sheridan has debuted another project,Lawmen: Bass Reeves(originally titled1883: The Bass Reeves Story), viewers may be wondering if they’ll see familiar faces on the Paramount+ show based on “the first Black U.S. Marshalwest of the Mississippi,” per a press release.
So, before diving into the new series, here is everything to know about the stars of1883and their experience filming the series.
Tim McGraw as James Dillard Dutton
Tim McGraw as James Dutton in the ‘Yellowstone’ prequel show ‘1883.'.Emerson Miller/Paramount+ ; Mary Kouw/CBS/Getty
Emerson Miller/Paramount+ ; Mary Kouw/CBS/Getty
Country singer Tim McGraw is one-half of a powerhouse music marriage. McGraw and his wife, fellow Grammy-winning artist Faith Hill, wed in 1996 and welcomedthree kidstogether while also collaborating on joint tours.
After rising to fame with hits like “Something Like That,” he began acting, most notably inFriday Night LightsandThe Blind Side, but James Dutton on1883is his first significant role.
McGraw initially played James in season 4 ofYellowstonein flashback scenes, which led to the opportunity to expand the role in the prequel. He toldThe Hollywood Reporterthat when Sheridan called him to offer the part, he was intrigued — though on his terms.
“Certainly I was interested in it, but I told him I didn’t want to be some singing cowboy that just comes to the bunkhouse and gets carried to the train station at the end of the episode,” he said. “If he came up with something that was interesting, I’d be glad to do it.”
Faith Hill as Margaret Dutton
Faith Hill as Margaret Dutton in the ‘Yellowstone’ prequel show ‘1883.'.Emerson Miller/Paramount+ ; David M. Russell/CBS/Getty
Emerson Miller/Paramount+ ; David M. Russell/CBS/Getty
Faith Hill joined the series at the same time as her husband, playing his character’s wife, Margaret Dutton. Hill is also a country music star with a legion of fans who were thrilled to see her in the series.
Born and raised in Mississippi, Hill moved to Nashville at the age of 19. In 2022, she toldThe Hollywood Reporterthat filming1883was a rewarding experience.
“The authenticity was exciting for me,” she said. “I understood why learning how to do these things properly really mattered, when you’re actually in the midst of filming on a horse, on a wagon, shooting the guns, all the things that we had fun training to do.”
Isabel May as Elsa Dutton
Isabel May as Elsa Dutton in the ‘Yellowstone’ prequel show ‘1883.'.Emerson Miller/Paramount+ ; Kevin Mazur/Getty
Emerson Miller/Paramount+ ; Kevin Mazur/Getty
Isabel May played Elsa Dutton, daughter of James and Margaret Dutton and the narrator of the follow-upYellowstoneseries1923. Her first role was as a recurring character onThe Big Bang TheoryprequelYoung Sheldonbefore becoming a lead on the Netflix drama seriesAlexa & Katie.
May began acting in 2018 and starred in a handful of independent films before crossing paths with the Western drama’s showrunner. The actress toldThe Playlistpodcast that she had originally auditioned for another role on1883— but things worked in her favor in a way that she couldn’t have predicted.
“I auditioned for a different project for Taylor [Sheridan], and found myself in the very, very lucky position in which he came to me after saying, ‘No, you’re not getting that other role,’ and said, ‘But I’ve written one for you,’ ” she recalled.
Sam Elliott as Shea Brennan
Sam Elliot as Shea Brennan in the ‘Yellowstone’ prequel show ‘1883.'.Emerson Miller/Paramount+ ; Frazer Harrison/Getty
Emerson Miller/Paramount+ ; Frazer Harrison/Getty
Sam Elliot was born in California and raised in Oregon before embarking on a long career in Hollywood, particularly in Westerns. His first credited work was a minor role in the 1969 filmButch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid,featuringRobert RedfordandPaul Newman.
In the decades since Elliot earned hisfirst Oscar nominationfor Best Supporting Actor for his work inA Star Is Bornin 2019. The actor has also lent his voice to Fox’s animated sitcomFamily Guysince 2019, bringing to life Wild Wild West.
“It wasn’t a big stretch for me, because I was so familiar with the genre,” he said. “That said, I went places I had never gone before in that genre. And I think that’s probably because so much of the character was internalized.”
Eric Nelsen as Ennis
Eric Nelsen as Ennis in the ‘Yellowstone’ prequel show ‘1883.'.Emerson Miller/Paramount+ ; Roy Rochlin/WireImage
Emerson Miller/Paramount+ ; Roy Rochlin/WireImage
Eric Nelsenstarred as Ennis, a cowboy who assisted the Dutton family’s move alongside Shea Brennan. His character was also Elsa Dutton’s love interest, but he tragically dies from a shotgun wound sustained during an attack.
Nelsen brought a lengthy résumé, having begun his acting career onSensing Murderas a teenager. His other credits include the soap operaAll My Childrenand Showtime’sThe Affair.
The actor toldNewsweekthat the character appealed to him right away.
“I saw Ennis as the outlet to kind of go against the grain of the show a little bit,” he said. “We live in this extremely dark, gritty world in1883and Ennis is that little beacon of light that can pop through and put a smile on audiences’ faces — but at the same time, he is also a badass cowboy.”
Martin Sensmeier as Sam
Martin Sensmeier as Sam in the ‘Yellowstone’ prequel show ‘1883.'.Emerson Miller/Paramount+ ; Matt Winkelmeyer/Getty
Emerson Miller/Paramount+ ; Matt Winkelmeyer/Getty
Martin Sensmeier charmed both audiences and Elsa Dutton as Sam, a Comanche warrior who helped out the Dutton family on their westward trip. After Ennis’ death, James and Margaret’s eldest child falls in love again.
Elsa and Sam later marry in an unofficial ceremony, but their relationship quickly starts experiencing struggles because of their different cultural backgrounds, something that Sensmeier addressed in abehind-the-scenes interview.
“Even though Sam is in love with this woman and wants to marry her, they’re also committed to their journeys,” he said. “These stories, they’re beautiful because they make you reflect on your own life, your own journey.”
Sensmeier previously worked with Sheridan in his 2017 neo-Western crime movie Wind River. The actor also appeared in HBO’sWestworld, NBC’sLa Breaand ABC’sAlaska Daily.
Dawn Olivieri as Claire Dutton
Dawn Olivieri as Claire Dutton in the ‘Yellowstone’ prequel show ‘1883.'.Emerson Miller/Paramount+ ; David Livingston/WireImage
Emerson Miller/Paramount+ ; David Livingston/WireImage
Dawn Olivieri joined the cast of1883as Claire Dutton, the widowed sister of James Dutton, who travels west with the rest of his family. Unfortunately, she doesn’t make it to their final destination.
The actress is known for her roles in the Showtime seriesHouse of Liesand on the NBC showHeroes. Olivieri toldThe Hollywood Reporterthat period pieces and Westerns were new to her, but she immediately embraced the role of Claire.
Olivieri revealed she coincidentally moved to rural Arkansas during the COVID-19 pandemic when the opportunity arose. “It’s a little bit woo-woo,” she said. “The second I moved here, I got all of this Western world work, which I had never gotten before. No period pieces, none of that. So, it’s pretty trippy.”
Viewers may also recognize her inYellowstoneas lawyer Sarah Atwood, who duels with Beth Dutton and gets romantically involved with Jamie Dutton.
Billy Bob Thornton as Jim Courtright
Billy Bob Thornton as Marshal Jim Courtright in the ‘Yellowstone’ prequel show ‘1883.'.Emerson Miller/Paramount+ ; VALERIE MACON/AFP/Getty
Emerson Miller/Paramount+ ; VALERIE MACON/AFP/Getty
Billy Bob Thorntonplayed real-life sheriff Jim Courtright in one episode of1883. Since starting his acting career in 1986, he has been featured in over 60 movies, includingArmageddonandA Simple Plan.
He admitted that starring in the limited series made his schedule incredibly busy, considering he was on tour with his band, The Boxmasters, when Sheridan reached out.
Sheridan created the role on the show specifically for Thornton, an honor he also bestowed on a few other cast members.
LaMonica Garrett as Thomas
LaMonica Garrett as Thomas in the ‘Yellowstone’ prequel show ‘1883.'.Emerson Miller/Paramount+ ; Jesse Grant/Getty
Emerson Miller/Paramount+ ; Jesse Grant/Getty
LaMonica Garrettjoined1883as Thomas, who was part of Shea Brennan’s crew, helping lead the group as they traveled toward Montana. Most notably, his character was a formerly enslaved man who later became a U.S. Army sergeant in a Buffalo Soldier regiment.
Despite his harrowing experiences, Garrett shared that Thomas still saw the best in every situation. As he explained toEsquirein 2022: “I think that he’s seen the worst in man. … He left the plantation when he was 12 years old. But Thomas … he sees kindness in people that other people might not see."
Marc Rissmann as Josef
Marc Rissman as Josef in the ‘Yellowstone’ prequel show ‘1883.'.Emerson Miller/Paramount+ ; Ben Kriemann/Getty
Emerson Miller/Paramount+ ; Ben Kriemann/Getty
Marc Rissmann plays Josef, a German immigrant in a group that hired Shea Brennan and Thomas to take them to Oregon. Before becoming part of theYellowstonefranchise, Rissmann starred inGame of ThronesandThe Man in the High Castle, among other German projects, as he is a native.
In abehind-the-scenes interviewwith Paramount Network, Rissmann spoke about Josef in greater detail. “I think the leadership role, he took it because I think he’s a natural leader and because he cares about his people," he said. “But it creates conflict for him.”
Gratiela Brancusi as Noemi
Gratiela Brancusi as Noemi in the ‘Yellowstone’ prequel show ‘1883.'.Emerson Miller/Paramount+ ; Ethan Miller/Getty
Emerson Miller/Paramount+ ; Ethan Miller/Getty
Gratiela Brancusiplayed Noemi, a Romani widow with two young children traveling west with the group. While learning to care for her family independently, she falls for Thomas, and viewers witness the start of their new relationship amid the expedition.
Brancusi is originally from Romania, and1883was her first project in the U.S. She also appeared in Sheridan’s crime thrillerMayor of KingstownalongsideJeremy Renner.
Off-screen, the actress was married toShawshank RedemptionactorTim Robbinsfrom February 2017 to January 2021, before hefiled for divorce.
source: people.com
