Netflix has added 11 actors to the cast of the limited series “American Primeval,” PvNew has learned.
The six-episode series was originally commissioned in December with Taylor Kitsch in the lead role. He will now be joined by: Jai Courtney, Kyle Bradley Davis, Dane DeHaan, Betty Gilpin, Nick Hargrove, Derek Hinkey, Saura Lightfoot Leon, Preston Mota, Shawnee Pourier, Joe Tippett, and Shea Whigham. The role marks a return to Netflix for Gilpin, who earned three consecutive Emmy nominations for the comedy series “GLOW” at the streamer before it was unceremoniously canceled amid the pandemic.
“American Primeval” is described as “a raw, adventurous exploration of the birth of the American West. The violent collisions of cultures, religions and communities as men and women fight and die for control of this new world – for a land they truly believe is their destiny. The ensemble tells a story of the sacrifice all must pay when they choose to enter a lawless and untamed wilderness.” As previously announced, Kitsch will play Isaac, said to be “a traumatized man struggling to overcome his demons and find a reason to live in this brutal and punishing world.”
Courtney (“Kaleidoscope,” “Suicide Squad”) will play Virgil Cutter, who is described as a “trapper and bounty hunter who sees opportunity in the naiveté of others.” Davis (“American Horror Story,” “It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia”) will play Tilly – one of Cutter’s trappers. The character is further described as “a nasty, dangerous man who doesn’t mind killing to get ahead and rather enjoys it when others fear him.”
DeHaan (“Oppenheimer,” “The Staircase”) will play Jacob Pratt, “a Mormon leading his family across the frontier to join other settlers in Utah.” Gilpin (“Gaslit,” “GLOW”) will star as Sara Rowell, said to be “an extremely capable woman with an air of composure and grace that seems out of place in Fort Bridger as she seeks a guide across the frontier for her and her son, Devin (Mota).”
Hargrove (Devotion) will play Cottrell, described as “a young man that helps out around Fort Bridger and serves as Jim Bridger’s (Whigham) right hand.” Hinkey (“Walker Independence,” “Horizon”) will play Red Feather, “the leader of a renegade group of Crow warriors known as the Wolf Clan.”
Lightfoot Leon (“Hoard,” “Masters of the Air”) will play Abish, “a Mormon woman not content with being seen as the property of her husband, Jacob (DeHaan).” Mota (“Asteroid City”) will play Devin Rowell, descrbed as “a sensitive soul with a curious mind.” Pourier (“Stranger Things,” “Dark Winds”) will play Two Moons, said to be “a young girl who flees her village with a strong will and drive to survive at all costs.” Tippett (“Mare Of Easttown,” “The Morning Show”) will play James Wolsey, “a Mormon man leading a militia of men who don’t possess the moral code they claim they do.” Finally, Whigham (“Joker,” “Boardwalk Empire”) will play Jim Bridger, “a grizzled realist but a decent man. Bridger runs his namesake Fort, a popular stopping point for settlers and trappers.”
Courtney is repped by UTA, Silver Lining Entertainment, and Morrissey Management. Davis is repped by Global Artists Agency and Schlegel Entertainment. DeHaan is repped by CAA, MGMT Entertainment, and Sloane Offer. Gilpin is repped by CAA, Anonymous Content, and Hansen Jacobson. Hargrove is repped by Luber Roklin Entertainment. Lightfoot Leon is repped by Curtis Brown Group. Mota is repped by Duvall Mac Talent and 11:11 Entertainment. Tippett is repped by Paradigm, Perennial Entertainment, and Peikoff Mahan. Whigham is repped by WME and Range Media Partners.
Mark L. Smith is the writer and executive producer behind “American Primevla.” Peter Berg is attached to executive produce direct all episodes as the first project under his first-look deal with Netflix via Film 44. Eric Newman will also executive produce via Grand Electric under his Netflix overall deal. This marks the second limited series collaboration for Kitsch, Berg, and Newman, as they also teamed for the upcoming Netflix series “Painkiller,” which is slated to premiere in 2023.
