American Primeval is a gritty Western epic that has a jam-packed cast headlined by Taylor Kitsch, Betty Gilpin, and some familiar faces.
Netflix's new six-episode miniseries revolves around the story of a mother who hires an unexpected guide to lead her and her son to safety as they navigate the dark times set in 1857.
The series is directed and executive produced by Pete Berg with a script written by Mark L. Smith.
American Primeval premiered on Netflix on January 9.
American Primeval Cast Guide: Every Main Actor Who Appears
Taylor Kitsch - Isaac Reed
Taylor Kitsch leads the cast of American Primeval as Isaac Reed.
Isaac is a reluctant guide who is an expert tracker, survivalist, and hunter tasked to oversee the safety of a mother and son as they traverse the dangers of the wilderness and the brutal lands of 1857 Western territory.
Kitsch recently appeared as part of the cast of Painkillers where he portrayed Glen Kryger.
The actor's other notable credits include X-Men Origins: Wolverine, Waco, and The Terminal List.
- Instagram: @taylorkitsch
- Wikipedia: Taylor Kitsch
- IMDb: Taylor Kitsch
Betty Gilpin - Sara Rowell
Betty Gilpin portrays Sara Rowell, a desperate yet loving mother traveling with her son who needs help navigating the dangerous Western frontier as they try to flee to Utah to reunite with her husband.
She is willing to pay 500 dollars for their safe passage, but things go sideways after her original guide gets murdered and the Mormon group they initially joined is attacked by Indians along the way.
As a result, Sara and her son decide to go with Isaac instead after proving that he is capable of saving them from a plethora of threats.
It is later revealed that Sara has a $1,500 bounty on her head after killing a man who is presumed to be her actual husband.
Gilpin is best known for playing Debbie Eagan in GLOW, Lina Parish in Three Women, and Simone in Mrs Davis.
- Wikipedia: Betty Gilpin
- IMDb: Betty Gilpin
Preston Mota - Devin Rowell
Preston Mota appears as Devin Rowell, Sara's brilliant son who has an injured leg.
Despite his injury, he proves that he is capable of traversing the dangerous Western frontier with his mother.
Mota is a rising child actor who made his on-screen debut as Dwight in Asteroid City. American Primeval marks his second major acting credit.
- Instagram: @prestonmotaactor
- IMDb: Preston Mota
Kim Coates - Brigham Young
Kim Coates portrays Brigham Young, the President of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints and the Governor of Utah in American Primeval.
Young's main goal is to protect his people during the Utah War, but he is hiding some shady secrets tied to a dangerous conspiracy that could lead to the deaths of many. He even has his own army, the Nauvoo Legion.
Coates is a veteran actor who has over 150 movie and TV credits combined. He is best known for appearing in Bad Blood, Sons of Anarchy, and White House Plumbers.
- Instagram: @kimcoates
- Wikipedia: Kim Coates
- IMDb: Kim Coates
Jai Courtney - Virgil Cutter
Jai Courtney plays the ruthless Virgil Cutter, a mercenary who is hellbent on seeking the bounty for the life of Sara Rowell after overhearing the reward from the original bounty hunter who was searching for the mother and son.
A desperate Virgil then murders the first bounty hunter to seek the reward for himself and his men.
Courtney previously appeared in 2016's Suicide Squad, Divergent, and Terminator Genisys.
- Instagram: @jaicourtney
- Wikipedia: Jai Courtney
- IMDb: Jai Courtney
Shea Whigham - Jim Bridger
Jim Bridger serves as the leader of Fort Bridger whom Sara and her son seek help from in Episode 1. The character is played on-screen by Shea Whigham.
Fort Bridger is a famous pit stop for travelers, rewards seekers, and settlers.
It turns out that he has a longstanding feud with Brigham Young involving the acquisition of his territory for the governor's personal gain.
Whigham starred in notable projects alongside some of Hollywood's best, with him being part of the cast of Mission Impossible 7, Kong: Skull Island, and Lawmen: Bass Reeves.
- Wikipedia: Shea Whigham
- IMDb: Shea Whigham
Dane DeHaan - Jacob Pratt
Dane DeHaan joins the cast as Jacob Pratt, a newly married Mormon who is traveling with his wife across the frontier to go to Utah and find other settlers.
However, things take a drastic turn after his group is attacked by Indians and savages, leaving him badly injured while his wife is taken away.
After surviving a brutal and bloody attack, Jacob is on a mission to find his missing wife, but he is not aware that his presumed friends are actually the enemies who orchestrated the massacre that killed his friends.
DeHaan's most recognizable role is playing Harry Osborn in The Amazing Spider-Man 2.
The actor also appeared as part of the cast of Hulu's 2024 movie, The Stranger.
His other credits include Chronicle, The Place Beyond the Pines, and Oppenheimer.
- Instagram: @danedehaan
- Wikipedia: Dane DeHaan
- IMDb: Dane DeHaan
Saura Lightfoot-Leon - Abish Pratt
Saura Lightfoot-Leon brings Jacob's wife, Abish Pratt, to life in American Primeval. Abish is a Mormon who doesn't have a deep devotion to the religion.
She was abducted by a dangerous Indian tribe led by Red Feather who seems to be attracted to her since she is the only one who was kept alive from the hostages.
Lightfoot-Leon's notable credits include Hoard, The Agency, and Masters of the Air.
- Wikipedia: Saura Lightfoot-Leon
- IMDb: Saura Lightfoot-Leon
Shawnee Pourier - Two Moons
Shawnee Pourier plays a deaf Oglala Lakota girl named Two Moons who snuck into Sara and Devin's wagon to escape her abusive parents.
She eventually joins Sara, Devin, and Isaac's journey to Utah, even though she has no idea what lies ahead for her future.
Pourier previously starred in Stranger Things, Dark Winds, and Seeds.
- Instagram: @shawneepourier
- IMDb: Shawnee Pourier
Joe Tippett - James Wolsey
Joe Tippett is part of Amazon Primeval's main cast as James Wolsey.
James is a Mormon man who serves as one of the dangerous enforcers of Governor Brigham Young's army. He is the one who led the attack in the Mountain Meadows Massacre, leaving countless dead bodies behind.
Tippett previously appeared as a series regular in Apple TV+'s Monarch: Legacy of Monsters where he played Monarch Agent Tim.
The actor also starred in Mare of Eastown, The Morning Show, and A Complete Unknown.
- Instagram: @joetippett
- Wikipedia: Joe Tippett
- IMDb: Joe Tippett
Kyle Bradley Davis - Tilly
Tilly (played by Kyle Bradley Davis) is one of Virgil's loyal enforcers and cutters who joins his quest to seek the bounty for Sara Rowell.
Davis is known for appearing in The Rookie, It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia, and American Horror Story.
- Instagram: @shadedonkey
- Wikipedia: Kyle Bradley Davis
- IMDb: Kyle Bradley Davis
Nick Hargrove - Cottrell
Nick Hargrove stars as Cottrell, Jim Brigham's right-hand man in Fort Bridger who keeps him up to date with all the inner goings that are happening in the territory.
Hargrove's most recognizable role is playing Parker Wagner-Caine in Charmed.
The actor can also be seen in Single Parents, Counterpart, and NCIS: Los Angeles.
- Instagram: @nickhargrove
- IMDb: Nick Hargrove
Derek Hinkey - Red Feather
Derek Hinkey plays Red Feather, the mysterious leader and warrior of the local Paiute tribe known as the Wolf Clan, in American Primeval.
Red Feather abducts Abish Pratt after sparing her life from the group of women his troops murdered in cold blood.
He becomes estranged from his mother, Winter Bird, and his original clan due to conflicting political views.
Hinkey's major credits include Horizon: An American Saga - Chapter 1, Django, and Walker: Independence.
- Instagram: @sugarwolf101
- IMDb: Derek Hinkey
Mikandrew - Henry
Another member of Virgil's brutal cutting crew is Mikandrew as Henry. While he can be dangerous, he shows compassion toward Jacob Pratt after Tilly mocks him during one harsh encounter.
The actor previously starred in Love Lies Bleeding, Walker: Independence, and Deputy.
- IMDb: Mikandrew
Dominic Bogart - Brother Cook
Dominic Bogart appears as Brother Cook, a member of James Wolsey's troops who accompanies Jacob in joining Virgil's search for Sara and Devin.
He is instructed by Wolsey to kill the runaway mother and son as soon as he finds them in their journey.
Bogart is known for his roles in Just Mercy, Fear the Walking Dead, and The Glass Castle.
- Instagram: @dominicbogart
- IMDb: Dominic Bogart
Alex Breaux - Bill
Alex Breaux stars as "Wild" Bill Hickman, a loyal aide to Governor Brigham Young and a member of the infamous Nauvoo Legion.
Bill is instrumental in ensuring that the Mountain Meadows Massacre is not revealed to be tied to his legion and the governor.
Breaux previously appeared in Joe Pickett, Eco Village, and The Dead Don't Hurt.
- Instagram: @alxx.brx
- IMDb: Alex Breaux
Lucas Neff - Captain Dellinger
Lucas Neff plays Captain Dellinger, a member of the government's army who is trying to piece together what truly happened in the Mountain Meadows Massacre.
Neff's other credits include Raising Hope, Power Book III: Raising Kanan, and The Handmaid's Tale.
- Wikipedia: Lucas Neff
- IMDb: Lucas Neff
Peter Berg - Fancher
Peter Berg appears in a cameo in Amazon Primeval Episode 1 as Fancher, a man who is running a camp in Mormon territory and refuses to pay tribute to the government.
Aside from directing and serving as an executive producer in Amazon Primeval, Berg is also an actor who appeared in Ballers, The Leftovers, and Deepwater Horizon.
- Instagram: @pberg44
- Wikipedia: Peter Berg
- IMDb: Peter Berg
Irene Bedard - Winter Bird
Irene Bedard plays a prominent role as Winter Bird, the leader of the Shoshone tribe who helps Sara, Devin, Isaac, and Two Moons to recover after a brutal encounter with rogue trappers.
Winter Bird is also Red Feather's mother.
Bedard is best known for bringing the titular character to life in Disney's Pocahontas.
The actress can also be seen in The Green Veil, Alaska Daily, and The Heart Stays.
- Instagram: @irenebedard
- Wikipedia: Irene Bedard
- IMDb: Irene Bedard
All episodes of American Primeval are now streaming on Netflix.
