American Primeval’s Cast Opens Up on Immersing into Frontier Life

American Primeval takes a detailed look at life on the American frontier in Utah during 1857. It follows an ensemble cast of characters from various backgrounds, including Mormons, Native Americans, and military personnel. These characters inevitably find themselves caught up in a violent struggle for survival. The Western, which launches on Netflix in the new year, is split into six parts and tells a self-contained story.

Game Rant recently caught up with two of American Primeval‘s lead cast members—Taylor Kitsch who plays Isaac, and Betty Gilpin, who plays Sara. They talked about how they tried to immerse themselves in frontier life as much as possible. They also discussed just how brutal 1800s America really was, and the impact this had on their specific characters and their motivations.

How American Primeval’s Cast Embraced Frontier Life

Taylor Kitsch is probably best known to audiences for his titular role in John Carter, or his role as Gambit in X-Men Origins: Wolverine. Now, playing the lead role of Isaac in American Primeval, he explained how he tried to immerse himself in the role by embracing the culture of frontier life as much as possible:

“I live in Montana, so my place looks out to the Bridger Mountains. Learning about Bridger and these real people that changed the course of the West was amazing. I love that Shea Whigham brought him to life. Damn, he’s good in this show!

On my way to Santa Fe I drove to the Shoshone reservation, and then I went through Fort Bridger. I even went to where some of these people are buried in Wyoming. So you’re going through these pieces of history that are tied to the show. That was incredible, and just so motivating, if you aren’t already motivated enough! It was all these pieces that added up to just loving this responsibility and trying to take ownership as much as you can.”

The World of American Primeval is Brutal

Starring alongside Kitsch is Betty Gilpin, who plays Sara, a woman whose priority first and foremost is to keep her son safe from the many dangers threatening them both. Gilpin, best known for her role as Debbie Eagan in Netflix’s GLOW, explained that the world that Sara finds herself in is unforgiving and brutal, but also freeing in some ways:

“I imagine Sara was told that that was her highest purpose in life, being thrust into a world where it’s all about survival. There are no manners, there are no rules, and it must have been so initially terrifying, but also sort of freeing in a strange way.

Realizing, okay, yes, I’m incredibly unsafe here, I’ll probably freeze to death or get killed, but that means no one cares if I take the reins of my own life here. There are bigger fish to fry than whether I’m not sitting correctly. I think that there’s both a fear and freedom for Sara, of being in this world.”

The show’s characters are brought to life by actors who clearly have respect and understanding for the source material, and this is evident in their performances. Director Peter Berg employed consultants to aid with research and historical accuracy, and this seems to have paid dividends. Seasoned actors such as Shea Whigham, who can count the Fast and Furious and Mission: Impossible franchises among some of his impressively large body of work, and Suicide Squad‘s Jai Courtney are also along for the ride, joined by the likes of Derek Hinkey and Saura Lightfoot-Leon.

American Primeval streams on Netflix on January 9, 2025.

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