Yellowstone prequel 1883 is premiering Dec. 19 on Paramount+, and now it has its full cast lined up.
Joining stars Tim McGraw and Sam Elliott are series regulars Audie Rick, known for Kenobi: A Star Wars Story; Marc Rissmann of Game of Thrones; as well as Eric Nelsen and James Landry Hébert of Once Upon A Time In Hollywood, per Deadline.
Also appearing in 1883 are Dawn Olivieri (Bright), Emma Malouff (American Crime Story), Alex Fine, Gratiela Brancusi, Anna Fiamora (A Shining Moment), Nichole Galicia (Django Unchained), Stephanie Nur (Four Women and a Funeral), Amanda Jaros (Women of the Movement), Noah Le Gros (A Score to Settle) and Martin Sensmeier (Yellowstone).
‘1883’ Follows a Motley Group of Settlers, Prostitutes and Warriors
1883 tells the tale of the Dutton family’s journey across the Great Plains and eventual arrival in Montana. McGraw plays James Dutton (alongside his wife Faith Hill, who plays Margaret Dutton), the ancestors of “Yellowstone” protagonist John Dutton (Kevin Costner). Elliott plays Shea Brennan, a tough, handsome cowboy with a tragic past.
In the new prequel, Rick will play John Dutton Sr. Rissmann will portray the European immigrant Josef, who shows his group of workers the way across the frontier. Nelsen will play the young cowboy Ennis, who helps lead a group of families north to start a new life. And Hébert will play Wade, another youthful cowboy who joins the caravan heading north to begin anew.
The remaining cast members will portray frontier settlers, from cowboys to widows to immigrants, who are traveling north and west to build new homes for themselves, as well as prostitutes and a Comanche warrior.
1883 is brought to you by MTV Entertainment Studios in partnership with 101 Studios and Bosque Ranch Productions. Executive producers of the new series are “Yellowstone” co-creators Taylor Sheridan and John Linson plus Art Linson, David C. Glasser, Ron Burkle and Bob Yari.
‘Yellowstone’ Prequel ‘Stands On Its Own’
Meanwhile, McGraw, Elliott and the rest of the cast have been hard at work filming the first season of 1883. In a recent interview with Entertainment Weekly, McGraw and Elliott recounted a bit of that process. McGraw said the journey to Montana will stretch out over the course of the first season.
“The season is the journey,” McGraw told EW. “It’s super dusty and super hot. There’s no way around it. At the same time, it’s like every kid’s fantasy to do something like this, to put your chaps on, your cowboy hat, and your gun holsters every day. Then you get on a horse and try to survive this journey.”
“The first month was brutal,” Elliott added of the season’s launch, which was filmed in Texas. “It was 100 degrees and not easy.”
But Elliott said audiences will find that the ensemble cast is one of 1883’s strengths. He name-checked some of the other actors, saying they’ve made the show brim with life.
“You can call this a spin-off or a prequel to Yellowstone or whatever you want, but for my money, it stands on its own,” he said.
