Meet the 1923 cast: who's who in the Yellowstone prequel

Harrison Ford and James Badge Dale in 1923
Harrison Ford and James Badge Dale in 1923 (Image credit: Emerson Miller/Paramount+)

A new generation of Duttons have come to TV, as the Yellowstone prequel 1923 follows the family during the first half of the 20th century when they had to deal with prohibition, westward expansion and the beginnings of the Great Depression. Some of the characters at the center of 1923 we've met (like the grown up John Dutton Sr. who first appeared in 1883) and some we're meeting for the first time.

Of course it's not just the Duttons that make up the 1923 cast, as much like the future generations in Yellowstone, they have to contend with enemies who want to claim the land for themselves. The show also seems poised to offer a connection to a Yellowstone character that is not a member of the Dutton clan.

You can see how all of the Duttons in 1923, 1883 and Yellowstone are connected with our Dutton family tree. But in the meantime, let's get to know the cast of characters for the new Paramount Plus original series a little better.

Harrison Ford as Jacob Dutton

Harrison Ford in 1923

Harrison Ford in 1923 (Image credit: James Minchin III/Paramount+)

Jacob Dutton is the brother of James Dutton (Tim McGraw). Following James' death, which was previously shown in a Yellowstone flashback, Jacob has become the patriarch of the Yellowstone ranch.

Harrison Ford really needs no introduction. The legendary movie star is best known for his roles as Han Solo in Star Wars and Indiana Jones, which he is reprising in Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny. 1923 is Ford's first time on a TV series since the 1970s, though he has experience with western shows, having appeared in a couple episodes of the classic series Gunsmoke.

Helen Mirren as Cara Dutton

Helen Mirren in 1923

Helen Mirren in 1923 (Image credit: James Minchin III/Paramount+)

Cara Dutton is the wife of Jacob Dutton and appears to carry on the proud tradition of Dutton women who are just as capable as the men and willing to fight to protect their family.

Oscar-winner Helen Mirren remains as busy as ever. Recently she's appeared in big movies like the Fast & Furious franchise, independent ones like The Duke and on TV with the Catherine the Great HBO miniseries and a guest spot on the Big Mouth spinoff Human Resources. She's certainly not slowing down either, as in 2023 she has Shazam! Fury of the Gods, Fast X and Golda set to come out.

James Badge Dale as John Dutton Sr.

James Badge Dale in 1923

James Badge Dale in 1923 (Image credit: James Minchin III/Paramount+)

John Dutton Sr. has grown up since we last saw him in 1883 (it has been 40 years after all). Though his uncle officially runs the Yellowstone ranch, John is his right-hand man.

James Badge Dale has been a popular character actor for some time. Among his most memorable roles are in The Departed, 24, The Pacific, Iron Man 3 and Rubicon.

Marley Shelton as Emma Dutton

Marley Shelton in 1923

Marley Shelton in 1923 (Image credit: James Minchin III/Paramount+)

The dutiful wife of John Dutton Sr. is Emma Dutton, played by Marley Shelton. Shelton is best known for playing Judy Hicks in the Scream franchise, starring in Quentin Tarantino and Robert Rodriguez's Grindhouse double feature, late 1990s and early 2000s favorites like Never Been Kissed, Pleasantville and Sugar & Spice, and was Wendy Peffercorn in The Sandlot

Darren Mann as Jack Dutton

Darren Mann in 1923

Darren Mann in 1923 (Image credit: Emerson Miller/Paramount+)

Jack Dutton (aka John Dutton Jr.), is the son of John and Emma Dutton. Jack is a dedicated rancher, deeply loyal to his family. He is also (eventually) the father of John Dutton III, played by Kevin Costner in Yellowstone.

Darren Mann most notable role prior to 1923 was as young Baz in Animal Kingdom. Some of his other credits include Chilling Adventures of Sabrina, Wayward Pines and The Minute You Wake Up Dead.

Michelle Randolph as Elizabeth Strafford

Michelle Randolph in 1923

Michelle Randolph in 1923 (Image credit: Emerson Miller/Paramount+)

Elizabeth Strafford is set to join the Dutton family, presumably by marrying Jack. She is a feisty and capable young woman, so she should fit in perfectly with the Duttons.

1923 is definitely Michelle Randolph's biggest role to date, though some of her previous credits include House of the Witch, A Snow White Christmas and Resort.

Brandon Sklenar as Spencer Dutton

Brandon Sklenar in 1923

Brandon Sklenar in 1923 (Image credit: Paramount Plus)

Spencer Dutton is the younger brother to John Dutton, born after the events of 1883. Spencer is a World War I veteran and the horror of war is still something he carries with him.

You may not know Brandon Sklenar by name, but there's a good chance you've seen him in some of his previous roles, which include stints on New Girl, Westworld, Walker: Independence and Paramount Plus' The Offer, as well as movies like Vice, Midway and Emily the Criminal.

Timothy Dalton as Donald Whitfield

Timothy Dalton in 1923

Timothy Dalton in 1923 (Image credit: Paramount Plus)

Donald Whitfield is a powerful, self-confident, wealthy man who has purchased the ranch closest to the Duttons. However, he has his sights on more.

Timothy Dalton is just one of the handful of people who have ever played James Bond (The Living Daylights, Licence to Kill), but he's also starred in Hot Fuzz, Doom Patrol and appeared in the most recent season of The Crown.

Jerome Flynn as Banner Creighton

Jerome Flynn in 1923

Jerome Flynn in 1923 (Image credit: Christopher T. Saunders/Paramount+)

Banner Creighton is a hard-headed Scottish brogue and leader of the local sheep men, who teams up with Whitfield to go against the Duttons.

Flynn joins the Yellowstone universe after having been a part of another major TV franchise, Game of Thrones, where he played Bronn. Other Flynn credits include John Wick: Chapter 3, Ripper Street and an episode of Black Mirror.

Brian Geraghty as Zane

Brian Geraghty in 1923

Brian Geraghty in 1923 (Image credit: James Minchin III/Paramount+)

Zane is a fiercely loyal ranch foreman for the Duttons, played by Brian Geraghty. Geraghty has most recently been seen in the TV series Gaslit and Big Sky, while some of his previous credits include Chicago PD, The Alienist, Boardwalk Empire and the Best Picture-winning The Hurt Locker

Aminah Nieves as Teonna Rainwater

Aminah Nieves in 1923

Aminah Nieves in 1923 (Image credit: James Minchin III/Paramount+)

Teonna Rainwater is a young indigenous girl being kept at a residential boarding school. Her last name should sound familiar, as it is the same as Gil Birmingham's character, Thomas Rainwater, on Yellowstone. Is Teonna his mother?

Aminah Nieves has just a few credits to her name outside of 1923, including the horror movie V/H/S/99.

Julia Schlaepfer as Alexandra

Julia Schlaepfer in 1923

Julia Schlaepfer in 1923 (Image credit: Emerson Miller/Paramount+)

Alexandra is a young British woman vacationing in Africa with her fiancé, however, she quickly becomes enamored with Spencer Dutton, as she longs for an adventure and even a bit of danger. She abandons her fiancé to join Spencer on his travels.

Julia Schlaepfer is most recognizable from the Netflix series The Politician, but she has also appeared on Madame Secretary and American Horror Stories.

Jennifer Ehle as Sister Mary

Jennifer Ehle in 1923

(Image credit: Emerson Miller/Paramount+)

Sister Mary is the head nun at the Native American reform school where Teonna Rainwater is held. It is Sister Mary's goal to kill the Indian in Teonna, often through physical abuse.

Jennifer Ehle was most recently seen in the 2022 movie She Said, while some of her other recent work has included The Good Fight and Suspicion. Some of her most notable roles were in Zero Dark Thirty, the Fifty Shades of Grey franchise and the 1995 TV version of Pride and Prejudice as Elizabeth Bennett opposite Colin Firth.

1923 debuts on Paramount Plus on Sunday, December 18, in the US; Monday, December 19, in the UK. New episodes release weekly.

Michael Balderston

Michael Balderston is a DC-based entertainment and assistant managing editor for What to Watch, who has previously written about the TV and movies with TV Technology, Awards Circuit and regional publications. Spending most of his time watching new movies at the theater or classics on TCM, some of Michael's favorite movies include Casablanca, Moulin Rouge!, Silence of the Lambs, Children of Men, One Flew Over the Cuckoos Nest and Star Wars. On the TV side he enjoys Only Murders in the Building, Yellowstone, The Boys, Game of Thrones and is always up for a Seinfeld rerun. Follow on Letterboxd.